The process of falling asleep and making art are parallel. Both require us to lose control. In both cases, we enter an altered state of being–a state where time and the universe are malleable, symbolic, fluid, and immeasurable. We allow image and sensation to rule us, knowing that doing so is necessary, that in doing so we are renewed.
Setting an alarm to wake to is a common practice. We depend on waking up at a certain hour to pass exams, catch flights, and hold down the job affording us chipotle bacon breakfast sandwiches from Victrola. How well would you sleep if you couldn’t set an alarm for yourself? How reliable would you be?
It’s ridiculous, I know, but it parallels how I’ve approached art-making all these years. Say I needed to leave for work by 11:50. At 10 I’d sit down to the piano, looking up at the clock after each phrase, scared that I’d run out of time. I never fully surrendered to the moment; I didn’t want to lose my job.
I didn’t realize how profoundly this affected my productivity. Checking the clock is a function of the left hemisphere of the brain. The left side of the brain does things like compartmentalize and make sense. These are not functions that serve the act of creation. Creation requires the part of us that sees unity, symbol, emotion, the part of us that is active when we fall in love—in other words the right hemisphere of the brain. Every time I checked the hour I shifted my mental position. Every time I turned back to the piano, I had to reorient.
In my ideal life I simply follow one moment into the next, no appointments necessary. In this life I, like most other people, must adhere to a schedule, a schedule that doesn’t always follow my inclinations. So I’ve taken a cue from sleeping. Before I settle in to working on art, I set a timer. I use the alarm on my cell phone and have set it to the most pleasant tone I could find. I turn down the volume so that the only noise it makes is the alarm—phone calls are just too tempting. The result? More relaxed accountability. More flow. More surrender. And no need to worry that I’ll drop off the face of the planet. Or miss a date to share salty caramel ice cream. Or my flight back home. I won’t burn down my apartment. I won’t have moldy laundry. I can go away and come right back. Life intact.
I’m so pleased with this practice that I’ve taken to using the timer for more than just active creation. I want to do less clock watching in all my life. I want more fluidity. Here are some additional times an alarm really helps me:
- inquiry
- meditation
- epic tub-soaking
- laundry
- baking, simmering, stewing
- waking up (as previously mentioned. Oh, and I don’t do this all the time!)
What about you? Is the timer your friend? How do you manage time in your creative life?
Excellent suggestion about setting the alarm. I have noticed not having a watch is helpful to living in the moment. But, as you say, often we need to be reminded to stop our art making and do an essential chore. I’ll try setting the alarm and let you know if it works.
Great–looking forward to it
Obviously I never thought that there could be a link btw creativity and time… But all what you describe in your message is true.
To me creativity is out of time. Remembering it, I must admit that when I write, I always (unconsciously) hide all the clocks, switch off my cell phone and try to have at least 2 hours off ahead. Most of all I hate being disturbed : I can be productive only if there is no disturbing element/person/idea around me. Emptiness is my key to be focused on my work.
As for the rest of your message, I hate alarm clocks ! Especially in the morning… But I now use a radio-alarm clock (i hope that this word exists in English…), that way I can chose/change what I want to hear
I also found that when you follow your sleep cycle, you feel more relax and eager to focus on daily/creative tasks.
Hugs from sunny Paris,
Frenchy Baguette
Dear Frenchy,
I find it absolutely fascinating that you have already recognized your need to be out of time when you create.
Despite the name of my post, I don’t actually LOVE alarm clocks. I too feel more rested when I wake up in my own time. But my culture isn’t set up to nurture creativity–I find if I want to make art, I have to make time for it. This is one strategy I’ve developed to help me do that–to get by in an imperfect world.
We too have radio-alarms–I’m glad you’re finding this slightly less horrible
Hugs back at you from a surprisingly clear Seattle,
Adena
I am so so torn about alarm clocks. I think I abused them, or rather abused myself with them, during my schooling – particularly in college! The sound of them now induces a rush of sickening adrenaline and a seriously unsettling nag that I should really be somewhere else, doing something else or about to be caught out having overslept and missed Trad. Harm! I do have one particularly lovely memory however of being woken by my favourite CD with an alarm clock that would play it instead of a buzzer tone. I think that may be the way forward for me. I agree whole heartedly with your take on time and creativity…I hate being held to randsom by an appointment or job. I think that explains way I feel so unsure about entering the modern workplace. I would love to work for myself and set my own schedule but I am scared of that too
Thank you for a wonderful article and I particularly look forward to trying the alarm clock-meditation combination…very practical!
Oh Parisa, I can so imagine this! You production majors were basically required to forgo sleep as I recall…
An alarm with a CD sounds nice. I read once about someone who recorded her (?) kitty purring and set it for her (?) alarm. How awesome would that be?
(and I bet you would be GREAT working for yourself by the way)
xo
Adena
An alarm clock can be so jarring, and I hate to wake up to its raucous ring. My boy-friend and I have developed a more peaceful way to make sure we get up on time. He sets his clock-radio to a music station. At night we set up our coffee pot to go off just a bit before and often wake up to hear the last gurgles of the coffee being brewed. And there’s also our Alarm Cat. She usually gets on my pillow when it’s wake-up time. She’s amazingly accurate but not totally reliable, so the clock-radio is a back-up.
Hi Madeleine,
I agree–it is jarring to wake to an alarm and when I can go without it, I do. The clock-radio, coffee and kitty sound purrr-fect.
The kitty is the best, but, yes, alas, not totally reliable.
I actually use this more than I think when I’m doing writing practice. I change the amount of time and sometimes am more flexible with it (ten minutes has gone by and I’m still writing? I’ll keep going), but when I have a set amount of time to get something done (my 750 words before work is a great example), it’s a great way to keep me focused. I never thought of the link between what hemisphere of the brain is used for which activity.
I think that the alarm (when I’m in the right state of mind) also reminds me that there is the “pressure” (a word I use lightly and gently) to produce, as Natalie talks about the timed writing exercise.
Hi Steph!
I love your approach to using an alarm–it sounds so sane! Thank you for sharing; it’s helpful
xo
You’ve made me stop and look at things a whole new way.
I hate my alarm. Hate it. Luckily, I don’t often use it. I’m stuck at home because of some bad luck, so now this is where I stay.
I’m going to reexamine a lot of things, especially my writing.
All thanks to you! I appreciate it.
Oh Paula, you’ve made my day! Night! Whatever it is, you’ve made it! Please keep me posted on what comes out of your reexamined writing!
And welcome here!
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