Picture this: A world where your creative ambitions thrive in tandem with the constraints of time. Do you think it's possible? Recently, we sat down with Jarrod & Hilda, two stellar artist managers, who shared invaluable insights on mastering time management for artists.
Jarrod is a jack of many trades with a diverse background in and beyond Web3. His career development provided a perfect scope of reference for this discussion, from working full time at a stock exchange and running a ticket business, to working with Web3 startups & managing artists like Iman Europe, provided a perfect scope of reference for this discussion.
Hilda is a brilliant mind bringing fresh perspectives from his 10-year career in business development into his journey with artist management. Another jack of many trades, Hilda is an art collector, curator, & is now applying his experience with growing businesses to helping artists grow in Web3.
Enjoy the live roundtable:
The following Q&A from our virtual roundtable is rich with actionable advice & fundamental approaches to finding harmony between work and home.
What are common time management pitfalls that artists often face?
Hilda: I immediately think about this app that we’re on right now. It’s one of the many distractions that are around you constantly. Today, I wanted to schedule a tweet, and every time I would open the app to go schedule that tweet I'd find myself scrolling, checking DMs, then 15 minutes go by and I still never scheduled the tweet. This is a simple two-second task that I can't complete, because I have this drug [social media] sitting next to me & it's just extremely difficult to overcome.
Jarrod: The socials are definitely a distraction. Instead of mindlessly doing things on social media as consumers of the apps, we need to designate time to be consumers or producers. A good way to do that is by setting a timer, that way it doesn’t consume you. Another pitfall is over analyzing, which is how a lot of people get in their own way. Overanalyzing prevents them from actually putting their work out.
Hilda: One quote that's been stuck in my head is, “Perfect is the enemy of good.” I've launched my own business recently and found myself getting stuck in that loop of perfecting it before I launch it because I can't have people criticizing. At some point I said, “I just have to put this out, and then I can start iterating on it.” It's about overcoming a bit of fear too.
“Be mindful about your mindlessness” - Stonez
How can artists effectively prioritize all their tasks when managing multiple projects?
Jarrod: There's a ton of tools that people use for project management. Trello is one that I hear a lot. I personally like Notion, I use it a lot, from the calendar to the tasks. These tools are free and super easy to use. You can give access to other people, link them with your calendars, and more. Getting in the process of getting all your tasks out of your head, writing them down, putting them in the task manager you use, and then reviewing them are a huge help for productivity. I also keep my phone on “Do Not Disturb” so I don’t get distracted while getting work done.
Hilda: The tough lesson I've learned over the years is there are tons of management applications; Monday.com is another one, I've always been a big OmniFocus user, which is a paid app on Mac only. That's been a tool that has excelled me and my career, but it takes a significant upfront to build these tools so they start working for you. You really have to commit yourself to whatever task manager you choose. Without that commitment, it's not going to be useful to you, and it becomes a time suck as opposed to a productivity tool. Recently, I literally just use a yellow notepad - your task manager can be as simple or complex as you choose.
What’s the biggest takeaway you’ve found in maintaining a healthy work-life balance?
Jarrod: I have three points. One, there's a lot of things that we can't control and wasting time and energy on that does nothing but stress you out. Things happen all the time and what's meant for you will be yours.
Two, when we talk about social media I promise that 90% of what you see is very unserious. Stop taking social media so seriously and you will feel more balanced and peaceful. Three, take breaks! Take a break in between tasks, don’t overdo your workflows to prevent burnout, walk away from things & come back with fresh eyes.
Hilda: The last couple of years, I realized I didn't know how to rest. I often found that my resting would be scrolling through socials or looking at a screen. I learned that doing things by myself that challenged me is what would help me truly recover and recharge. That can include going for a run, reading a book, painting etc. Doing things that challenged me to grow would bring me great energy.
“Try creating a reward system for getting tasks done. Categorizing similar tasks can also be beneficial.” -JT
During our discussion, Jarrod & Hilda brilliantly acknowledged common pitfalls including: mindlessness, doom scrolling, overanalyzing, comparing, keeping tasks in your head. They offer artists actionable advice on effective time management, from setting timers & putting limits on what we consume, to developing a task management system, taking breaks, & making proper time for rest. Listen to the full conversation here. Support these incredible artist managers! Connect with Jarrod, a Web3 leader helping superb talent to flourish. Check out Hilda’s newly launched artist management firm that’s taking Web3 by storm!
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