☀️A day in my life as an artist in “hero mode”
#65 or how to boost artistic productivity
Bonjour my little demon,
Welcome to the edition #65 of The Art Missive. We are now 12,124 😈 in this newsletter! Whether you've been here from the start or just arrived, thank you so much for reading ❤.
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In this Missive:
1/ Hero Mode.
2/ 6 a.m. - Setting myself up for success.
3/ 7 a.m. - Crushing procrastination.
4/ 3 p.m. - A healthy mind in a healthy body.
5/ 6 p.m. - Running a Business.
6/ Conclusion: be monomaniacal.
1/ Hero mode.
It's Sunday night. Everyone is asleep, my studio is plunged into darkness and silence. Illuminated by a soft light, I am planning the week ahead. This is my favorite moment - when I can sit in solitude and plan out the days ahead, each step bringing me closer to my dreams.
For this week, it's time to archive The Color of Vengeance and move on to a new project. As tempting as it is to get attached to each piece, I must keep moving forward without looking back to keep the momentum going. Because, as you know, for the past few weeks, I've been in hero mode.
In a previous missive, I explained that, like any good adventure hero, it was time for me to retreat to a remote place to train relentlessly and prepare for a triumphant return. Except that constantly producing new paintings has proven more difficult than expected. At first, I only experienced failures (as evidenced by the missives from April and May).
But recently, something shifted.
Ideas are flowing, the desire to create never leaves me, and taking action has become a no-brainer. I've never been so artistically productive.
From the outside, it may seem like I stumbled upon some secret formula or had a visit from the elusive muse. But the truth is far less magical. The change, I realized, stemmed from a very pragmatic source:
How I structured my daily routine.
Welcome to edition #64 of The Art Missive, where I take you along with me for a hero mode training day.
2/ 6 a.m. - Setting myself up for success.
Monday morning, 6 a.m. I wake up without an alarm, cradled by the morning light streaming through my window. What a pleasant feeling... My day is off to a great start!
My chronotype is early morning, which means I'm genetically wired to be more productive in the morning hours. As someone who used to love staying up late, I had to learn to go to bed early to maximize my painting time each day.
Time to get out of bed!
Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman's research has shown just how crucial that first morning hour is for setting the tone of our entire day. It's like a sacred window of time where we can prime our brains for optimal creativity, focus, and motivation.
For me, two morning habits are essential during that first hour: avoiding my phone and taking a 20-minute walk to expose myself to sunlight and nature.
These moments of calm and mindfulness have proven crucial for my artistic practice. Not only does exposure to sunlight and nature reduce anxiety, but these moments also offer me space to build up motivation, generate inspiration, and gradually enter a state of creative flow.
It's a short but effective routine that perfectly prepares me for the next task: crushing procrastination.
3/ 7 a.m. - Crushing procrastination.
7 a.m.
I enter my studio.
Lock the door behind me.
And switch my phone to airplane mode.
It's time to obliterate procrastination.
And my ultimate tool for that is what I call “the Golden Hours”.
I've adopted the game-changing concept of Golden Hours, thanks to the brilliant Alex Hormozi. In one of his videos, he challenged the notion of lengthy morning routines and instead advocated for dedicating the first five hours of each day to a crucial business task. During these hours, we disconnect from the world, focus solely on our chosen task, and allow no distractions to derail us.
I've decided to apply it to my artistic practice. From 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., I lock myself in my studio, completely isolated from the outside world. During these hours, I'm only allowed three activities: painting, drawing, or conceptualizing a new artwork. No appointments, social media, emails, content creation, courses, or other professional or personal tasks are permitted.
At first glance, this system might seem overly rigid, but it works. Why?
Firstly, our willpower is a limited resource that gradually depletes throughout the day. By tackling important tasks first thing in the morning, when my willpower is at its peak, I ensure that I make significant progress on what truly matters.
Secondly, by eliminating all distractions, my brain has no choice but to confront the challenging or intimidating tasks head-on.
So, as I settle into my studio this morning, I take a deep breath and let the outside world fade away. It's just me, my canvas, and the endless possibilities that await.
4/ 3 p.m. - A healthy mind in a healthy body.
It’s 1 p.m and after an intense morning of deep work and creation, I find myself completely exhausted.
As an early morning person, my productivity tends to plummet in the afternoon, making me about as energetic as a sloth during siesta time! That's when I know it's time to give my brain a well-deserved break and lace up my sneakers—it's workout o'clock.
You see, I've always been a sports enthusiast. Ever since I was five years old, I've dedicated more than ten hours a week to physical activity. From regional judo competitions to daily gym sessions, the thrill of pushing my body to its limits has been a constant in my life.
As artists, we often forget that our craft, while mentally demanding, is essentially a sedentary activity. Beyond the obvious benefits of increasing longevity, regular exercise is crucial for enhancing our artistic skills.
It helps us maintain proper posture during long hours at the easel, improves coordination, balance, and dexterity, and prevents the dreaded back pain and muscle tension that plague so many creatives.
It boosts discipline, concentration, and pain tolerance while effectively reducing stress.
As the saying goes, a healthy mind in a healthy body—and that couldn't be more true for us artists.
So, whether you're a yogi, a weightlifter, or a cardio junkie, the key is to find an activity that challenges you. For me, it's my way of hitting the reset button and coming back to my art with a fresh perspective and a body that's ready to take on the world.
5/ 6 p.m. - Running a Business.
As the sun begins to set and the world around me grows quieter, I find myself energized and ready to tackle a few more hours in my studio. There's something magical about this time of day—the light softens, the air cools, and I can finally unwind after a good workout and a satisfying meal.
My evening sessions usually fall into two categories: business tasks or learning a new skill.
Early in the week, I dedicate my evenings to entrepreneurial responsibilities like managing invoices, participating in meetings, reading emails, creating content, or developing a new product. These tasks are crucial for keeping my art business thriving and growing.
As the weekend approaches, I shift my focus to personal growth. I'll immerse myself in courses about art, leadership, entrepreneurship, or personal development. Continuously learning new things is just as essential to my business as generating revenue or creating art as it keeps me inspired and sharp.
Of course, there are times when I need a break from it all. On those evenings, I'll allow myself to relax by working on my current personal project. Right now, I'm in the process of getting my motorcycle license—an exciting challenge that provides a much-needed escape from the daily grind.
During these evenings, the balance slightly shifts towards relaxation rather than productivity. With a limited supply of determination, I prefer to allocate it to my morning golden hours, ensuring that I make progress on my essential tasks.
6/ Conclusion: be monomaniacal.
I work six to seven days a week. As an introvert, I don't spend much time outside. But I know, my little demons, that my current lifestyle may seem a bit extreme. Constantly pushing oneself to the limit isn't for everyone. But right now, this is the path I've chosen to walk for the coming months.
These days, people often believe that simply wanting something is enough to succeed. But having built businesses since the age of 19, I've learned that nothing comes without hard work and, above all, focus.
I won't become a successful artist by spending my evenings binge-watching Netflix.
I won't gain the power to change lives by scrolling through Instagram Reels for hours.
And I won't become exceptional by doing what everyone else does.
If we want to achieve big goals, we have to accept being a little weird, a little monomaniacal. Personally, I chose to let go of all unnecessary (and unhealthy) activities to focus my brain on valuable tasks:
I've eliminated all addictive sources of excessive dopamine, like TV series, vertical content (Reels, Shorts, TikTok), and webtoons to protect my brain functions and my attention.
I've turned off all notifications on my phone to control what I give my attention to.
And when I need a break, I watch educational content on platforms like Coloso, Udemy, or Masterclass.
At first glance, it may seem strict, even boring. Yet, I've never felt more fulfilled in my life. Because filling my days with only meaningful and valuable activities not only improves my health but also enhances my art and gives me a strong sense of accomplishment.
And that, my little demon, isn't that what this journey is all about?
Voilà, that's all from me.
Keep creating and see you next week! 😈
Léa
Thank you for sharing your experience. It helps to hear this as I try focus and make art. Really worth emulating - I know your process would be better for me. Ive tried in short bursts. Consistency would really help improve things. Letting go of the screen time and distractions has been a major challenge. I appreciate your work and how you write about your process!
I loved this, i myself am trying to become more productive and really lock in with my dedicated crafts. So having you, already a few (a lot of) steps ahead of me, is both comforting and motivating; “If Lea can do this, so can I!”