Balancing work with personal projects.

Zitch

I recently graduate college and landed myself a paid internship doing 3D modelling and animating. I'm about a month into the job and I'm finding it very hard to find time to do any personal projects. I read a forum post on here saying to limit the time that you work on your art to work hours. This is in hopes that your brain spits those creative juices flowing at the right time. Sometimes after a long day at work I find myself drained and want to focus on other things.

How do you guys find time for personal projects if you're spending your work day already working on stuff. As much as I love 3D , sometimes i gotta step away from the computer.

CharlieD

Working out after work rejuvenates me. I usually do something physical that I enjoy so it feels more like play than working out; lifting, hitting the bag, muay thai, bjj, longboarding. It wakes me up and I generally have more energy all around. If that doesn't work, coffee does. Turns the ol noggin right back on. I usually save coffee for my evenings so it doesn't lose its effect.

Jeff Parrott

Schedule it.

I started a Patreon to keep me on track with personal work too. Now I can't flake out because I have people that expect me to be doing something.

Also try to do stuff that's different from your day to day. It'll let you expand your skill set, try things out, and push yourself into new styles.

Amsterdam Hilton Hotel

Depends on when you have to start work but I usually plow a couple hours into personal stuff in the mornings when at maximum energy

Aabel

Do it first thing in the morning, get up early and give the first best hour/s to yourself, not your employer.

ironbelly

Unless you're not a morning person

I guess an important question you may not have asked is if you can use the work you're doing as an intern as part of your portfolio. Different places have different rules as to what you can use, show, and when you can use/show it. Personal growth is good of course, but so is not burning out

WarrenM

Then become a morning person. Go to bed earlier, whatever. Seriously, your brain is at it's creative best when you first wake up - THAT'S when you want to be learning and exploring new things. Not after 8-10 hours at the day job...

Meloncov

WarrenM wrote: »

Then become a morning person. Go to bed earlier, whatever. Seriously, your brain is at it's creative best when you first wake up - THAT'S when you want to be learning and exploring new things. Not after 8-10 hours at the day job...

That's definitely not true for everyone. Different people have different times of peak productivity. I'm pretty bleary the first hour I'm awake, even if I got plenty of sleep, then slump again right after work, but am going strong the hour or two before bed.

WarrenM

Whatever works. I've just found that people who claim to not be morning people are also people who will tell you in the next breath, they don't go to bed until 3am. Well, YEAH.

beefaroni

Yea to add to what's here I've been waking up every day at 7am and alternating between the gym and personal work before the work day starts. It gives me a solid 2 - 2.5 hours to get some work done. I also try to get some more done at home after work as well.

dzibarik

Amsterdam Hilton Hotel wrote: »

I usually plow a couple hours into personal stuff in the mornings when at maximum energy

same here. many people prefer nights though, but it has always been painful for me.

garcellano

I often do night too and sometimes mornings on the weekends. I think through time, you'll be able to space out the time after work, or on weekends, to work on personal projects.

Deathstick

I find swimming after work helps me want to do 3D after doing 3D. Need to move those stiff legs after sitting in the chair for 8 hours + mental break from it all.