How to beat procrastination

The first weeks after I made the decision to change careers, I was overwhelmed. There was so much work to do. Whatever I did I always felt guilty.

I thought I was procrastinating.

During that period an American photographer whose blog I was following, Robert Rodriguez Jr. (http://robertrodriguezjr.com/blog/), wrote about procrastination and recommended reading "The creative habit" by Twyla Tharp.

She is a famous American choreographer who has created dances for numerous ballets, musicals and films. Check out her website on http://www.twylatharp.org/

The first chapter immediately appealed to me. So I decided to take notes in case I should forget.

These are her most important guidelines:

1) Structure and routine. Waking up at the same time everyday; starting every day with the same routine; ending your work day at the same time or after a certain amount of work,... Write down your remaining ideas. Start the next day by reading your notes of the previous day. 

2) Find your own style. The more pictures you take the more you'll develop your own style. First you have to familiarise yourself with all the technical aspects.

3) Preparation. Try to find as much information as possible about a subject. Read books, watch films and documentaries. Study what other people have done with your subject. You want to create something unique. Collect all the material you have watched or read together in a box. When you are stuck later on in the project, you can easily return to your preparation.

4) Copy the artist you admire. By copying their work you will learn new skills. These skills are very important if you want to find your own style. Read everything about and by your favourite artists.

5) Exercise a lot. When your body is exercising, your mind is too. Exercising is a great way to get new ideas.

6) Work hard. Even the most talented artists have to dedicate a lot of hours if they want to create a masterpiece. This was the case for Mozart and Beethoven and it is still true for us.

7) Make sure you are not distracted. By no-one or anything. The best works of art are created when the artist is in the bubble.  Twyla Tharp talks about Philip Roth. He is an American author who lives in the wood. He works seven days a week. He needs five essential things: food, writing, exercise, sleep, and solitude.
Being in the Bubble doesn't necessarily mean being in complete isolation. It means you should surround yourself only with objects and people you need to be able to create a work of art.

8) Don't be afraid to try something new. When you have been doing the same thing for a long time you get stuck in a rut. Once you are there it is very difficult to break the pattern. The only thing that works is do something completely new; to learn something new.

9)  Accept failure. Even the most talented people will fail every now and again. It is important to learn from your mistakes and move on.

What did I learn?

I realised I had nothing to feel guilty about. I wasn't procrastinating. When I am not busy photographing or editing, I am preparing a new project or studying a photographer. In the past I have even occasionally isolated myself from the rest of the world to get things done.

Everything I was doing was necessary to become a photographer.

What are your working habits?