Dreaming of designing knitting patterns but struggling to find the time between your 9-to-5, family commitments, and everything else life throws your way? You’re not alone! Many aspiring designers face the challenge of balancing their creative passions with the demands of a busy life. But don’t worry, it is possible to carve out time for your design work, even if you feel like you don’t have a spare minute. In this post, we’ll explore practical strategies to help you maximize your time and achieve your design goals.
Maximizing Your Mornings (Even If You’re Not a Morning Person)
I know, I know, the snooze button is your best friend. But hear me out! Even if you’re not a morning person, try waking up just 30 minutes earlier a few days a week. That quiet time before the day’s chaos begins can be incredibly productive (and can get you in the right headspace — I’ve got two little ones at home, and my entire outlook on life is more positive if I can get a couple minutes to myself before the house wakes up!)
- Benefit #1: You’ll start your day with a creative win, which can boost your mood and productivity throughout the day.
- Benefit #2: You’ll have already accomplished something important to you before other demands take over.
- Benefit #3: A consistent morning routine, even a short one, can help you establish a habit and make design time a regular part of your life.
Not a morning person? No problem! This strategy is about finding pockets of time that work for you. The key is consistency.
Making the Most of Your Lunch Breaks and Downtime
Short on time? No worries! Even small bursts of focused work can make a big difference. Think of it as “design snacking” throughout your day. Here are a few ideas:
- Lunch Breaks: Instead of scrolling through social media, dedicate 15-20 minutes to sketching, brainstorming, or reviewing your current project.
- Commuting Time (If Applicable): If you commute by public transportation, you can use this time to read knitting books, research techniques, or even make notes on design ideas. If you commute in your car, listen to a podcast about a new business strategy that you want to try!
- Waiting Rooms/Appointments: Keep a small notebook and pencil or your phone handy to jot down ideas, or sketch quick diagrams, or sneak in a few rows on a new design.
The key is to be prepared to seize those little moments and turn them into creative opportunities.
Scheduling Dedicated Design Time (and Protecting It!)
Want to get serious about your design work? Treat it like any other important commitment. Schedule dedicated design time in your calendar and protect it like a mama bear protects her cubs! This means:
- Putting it in your calendar: Treat your design time as a non-negotiable appointment.
- Communicating with family/housemates: Let them know that you need uninterrupted time to work on your designs.
- Minimizing distractions: Turn off notifications, close unnecessary tabs on your computer, and create a dedicated workspace.
Even if you can only block out an hour or two each week, that consistent time will make a huge difference in your progress.
Batching Tasks for Maximum Efficiency
Want to supercharge your productivity? Try batching similar tasks together. This means grouping related activities into dedicated blocks of time. For example:
- Design Days: Focus solely on sketching, swatching, and developing new design ideas.
- Pattern Writing/Editing Days: Dedicate time to writing, editing, and formatting your patterns.
- Marketing/Business Days: Focus on marketing, social media, email marketing, and other business tasks. I have one hour a week dedicated to making social media posts – this helps keeps me from doomscrolling trying to come up with ideas, and I don’t worry about my social media outside of this one hour (it has been FREEING!)
Batching tasks helps you get into a flow state and be more productive.
There’s no magic bullet, but consistency is key!
Finding time to design knitting patterns when you have a busy life is a challenge, but it’s absolutely achievable. The key is to be intentional, consistent, and make the most of the time you have. Experiment with these strategies, find what works best for you, and watch your design dreams come to life!
Want to learn more about time management strategies for knitting designers? The Purl & Publish Membership offers expert guidance, resources, and a supportive community to help you achieve your design goals.
