Creative Discipline for the Artist Who Does Not Thrive on Discipline
Discipline has never been my natural language. Schedules feel constrictive, routines feel alien, and the idea of showing up “on time” every day makes my brain bristle. I have mild ADHD, which means even when I want to focus, my mind has its own agenda. Yet somehow, despite all this, I create. I paint. I finish pieces, start new ones, and keep building collections.
For me, discipline is less about rules and more about creating conditions where I can actually show up. I try to keep admin tasks—emails, website updates, inventory—either first thing in the morning or late at night, when my brain is sharpest. Afternoons are for the messy, loud, glorious work of creating. I rely heavily on alarms because time disappears when I’m in flow. Hours vanish without warning, and my brain is blissfully oblivious to the clock.
The hardest part is often just starting. Sometimes I create a source image or sketch, and in my mind, I’ve already “brought the vision to life.” That leap from concept to canvas can feel enormous. I love painting, but committing to the first brushstroke—the moment of start—requires a kind of discipline that is entirely different from showing up to a desk or checking boxes. I’ve learned to let the first layer of a new painting be pure fun. Experimenting and mess making before starting the more controlled sketching allows my brain to let go of getting it right and just enjoy the process.
Over time, I’ve learned to let go of perfectionism. I work in batches of paintings, not one at a time. While one layer dries, I jump to another canvas. This keeps my brain from hyper-focusing and getting bored, prevents over-analyzing, and stops me from overworking a single piece. Batch work isn’t just efficiency—it’s freedom. It allows me to honor my natural rhythm while still producing consistently.
I’ve also applied the same principle to business tasks. I realized I could get so wrapped up in emails, shipping, and other admin work that I barely had time in my studio. By batching tasks and blocking out time for specific areas of my business, I’ve been able to work more efficiently, save time, and protect the hours I need for actual creative work. Supporting my creative process this way doesn’t just help me make art—it makes every part of my business smoother and more intentional.
I’ve realized that creative discipline is a quiet, intimate conversation between my mind, my hands, and the work itself. It’s not about control. It’s about trust. Trusting that my ideas will reveal themselves when they’re ready, that my attention will return to a painting when the time is right, and that the structures I impose—alarms, batch work, rhythms—aren’t leashes but supports.
Ways I Create Creative Discipline
Here are the strategies that help me stay productive without killing my flow. These are not rigid rules—they’re tools that I’ve adapted to my own brain and process, and they can help you, too:
Use Alarms or Timers – Losing track of time is easy when you’re in flow. A simple alarm can remind you to start, switch tasks, or check in without pulling you out of the creative headspace.
Honor Your Natural Rhythms – Notice when your brain is sharp and when it’s scattered. Schedule analytical or admin tasks during your peak focus times and reserve your creative energy for hands-on work.
Batch Your Work – Work on multiple pieces at once, and batch business tasks like shipping, emails, and bookkeeping. This prevents boredom, over-analyzing, and wasted energy, and protects your creative time.
Start Before You’re “Ready” – The first brushstroke is the hardest. Give yourself permission to begin, even imperfectly, and let the work evolve from there.
Let Go of Perfectionism – Focus on progress and exploration rather than achieving perfection in every detail. Often the magic happens when you loosen your grip.
Create Gentle Guardrails – Instead of a strict schedule, design soft boundaries: studio blocks, alarms, and batch work keep you moving forward without constraining your creativity.
Allow Pauses and Flow Breaks – Discipline isn’t constant motion. Switching between pieces, stepping away, or taking intentional breaks keeps your mind fresh and your work alive.
Reflect and Adjust Regularly – Notice what works and what doesn’t. Your creative discipline should evolve with your process and your energy, not be forced to fit a rigid mold.
Creative discipline isn’t about control; it’s about creating the conditions for your ideas to thrive. When you embrace strategies that honor your mind, your flow, and your process, you produce work that is alive, intentional, and deeply connected to your experience as the creator. And for collectors, that energy translates directly into pieces that resonate and inspire.
