Balancing Life’s Chaos and Creativity: My Journey So Far

Balancing a busy life with creative passions feels like juggling flaming torches—exciting but risky. 

That’s been my life lately, but I’m thrilled to finally take a moment to sit down and write this blog post! 

Can you believe that the last article I published was back in May 2023? 

Time has flown by, but what truly matters now is that I’m writing again.

Today, I want to share a bit about my journey and the key lessons that have shaped my approach to balancing my now chaotic life with my creative endeavors. 

It’s been quite a ride, and I’ve learned some valuable lessons along the way about balancing creativity with a busy life.

A small disclaimer: everything I’m doing in life is related to creativity, and I’m incredibly grateful for that. However, it doesn’t mean that balancing everything is easy. In fact, it can be quite challenging at times. 

What I’ll share will appeal to you if you are going through a creative rut, struggling with balancing multiple commitments, or simply need some motivation to keep pushing forward.

So let’s dive into my journey and the lessons I’ve learned.

The Chaos Begins

It all started in January 2024 when I began film school. 

Yup! Film school. 

I started a cinematography course, and since then, my schedule has been one insane week after the next. 

Classes are usually from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., five days a week. Weekends are also included when we’re tasked with shooting individual projects. 

I’ve only had one week off since I started, and I’m writing this in July. Yes, chaotic indeed; school basically became my day job.

I’ve also been prioritizing my YouTube channel a lot more because somehow filming and editing seemed easier than sitting and writing.

I assure you that it’s not easier—it’s actually harder—but I enjoy the process, and one of my dreams was to build a YouTube channel to live a more creative life, so I focused more on it.

I didn’t lose my love for writing, though. On the contrary, I had to learn to write differently for the videos I was creating.

Imagine watching a video that sounds like you’re reading a book… Cringe, right?

That’s how I felt when I started the transition to video, so I had to learn quickly that writing for a blog and writing a script for a video are two completely different writing skills.

Taking Immediate Action on Ideas

I used to talk myself out of a lot of ideas without ever giving them a chance to grow.

I’d give reasons like my schedule is too busy, I don’t have the resources, or I’ll never, ever, ever find the time. But then I realized that by holding myself back and not taking action, I was hindering my own growth and potential.

So now, whenever an idea for a creative project pops into my head, I write it down immediately.

Whether it’s a video concept, a blog post topic, or something unrelated to the work I’m publishing, I jot it down so that I don’t forget about it as soon as my attention is pulled elsewhere.

How I Take Notes

To jot down my notes, I use the Notes app on my iPhone for convenience at times, but normally I keep a physical notebook with me for those moments when inspiration strikes. I prefer handwriting over typing, and it’s great for memory retention.

I don’t normally record voice notes, but if that’s your thing, then do what comes naturally to you.

I once used an app called Voiceliner to record audio while driving when an idea struck, and I couldn’t pull over to write it down.

The app not only records the audio but also transcribes it, allowing you to read it instead of only listening later.

When I do have some free time, whether it’s 15 minutes or an hour in the evening, I try to work on those ideas in some way.

It could be as simple as brainstorming or doing a quick search on the topic.

By taking immediate action, even if it’s small, it helps keep self-doubt and extensive procrastination at bay.

Keeping Things Simple

As someone with a tendency to overthink and complicate very simple things, simplification of tasks has been key in functioning and getting things done.

For my videos, I’ve learned to keep the editing process simple and focus more on capturing genuine moments without the visual effects.

This not only saves time but also makes the content more relatable to me and my audience.

I could use all the flashy edits in the world to grab attention, but at the end of the day, those types of videos overwhelm me.

I often find myself yearning for simplicity and relaxation, a sentiment I know many share as well. So instead of following the fast-paced crowd, I chose to slow things down, focus on one important task at a time, limit distractions, and schedule dedicated time for my creative work.

We can only focus on one task at a time because that’s just how our brains work, so why complicate things and reduce productivity?

Handling Interruptions with Persistence

Despite my best efforts to keep things simple, there are always unexpected interruptions that throw a wrench into my plans.

Technical issues like malfunctioning equipment or personal matters that require immediate attention can be the difference between completing all the tasks for the day or not making any progress at all for days.

In the past, these interruptions would frustrate me and throw off my entire schedule. I’d get upset that everything was not going according to plan, but life is unpredictable, and things will not always go as planned.

So instead of getting upset, I’ve learned that those things must have happened for a reason.

It’s quite possible that I might have missed a crucial detail in my work which would have slowed progress to a standstill, but then the delay happened.

Ironically, the delay could ultimately accelerate my progress more than if I had been working on it non-stop without that crucial detail. It’s really all about perspective.

I’ve also learned to be persistent and keep pushing forward, even when things get tough because it’s not about how many times you fall down; it’s about how many times you get back up and try again.

As with the case of this blog, it’s not how long I’ve stopped writing; it’s the fact that I started writing again.

This approach has been crucial in maintaining progress in all my creative projects.

Eye Care and Screen Breaks

For the majority of my life, my work has looked like this: me sitting in front of a screen, drawing, writing, producing, or editing.

I’ve never had an issue with my eyes until recently when I couldn’t make out something on the screen in class.

I freaked out because I genuinely thought I was losing my eyesight, but it turns out that my eyes were simply exhausted.

It was a wake-up call for me to take better care of my eyes and give them more breaks from the numerous screens I’m now surrounded by.

Our eyes are delicate and intelligent organs; they mold to the way we use them mostly, which is why so many people are having myopia issues.

Just google myopia issues to see how many news articles are written about this growing world problem.

It’s serious, so take care of your eyes.

Do more eye exercises—yes, those exist.

Take regular breaks from all screens, especially the smaller ones, and rejuvenate your eyes with some love during your self-care time.

Rest and Self-Care

With such a busy schedule, it’s easy to get caught up in the work and push yourself too hard.

Trust me, I’ve been there. But taking care of yourself is crucial in maintaining overall well-being.

Give yourself a nice candlelit bubble bath or play some calming music while you sit and enjoy doing absolutely nothing.

Also, during the times you’re attempting to do nothing, keep your notepad close because that’s when all the things you should have done will pop up to remind you that you forgot them. Jot them down and go back to doing nothing.

You need a break, so take a break before your body takes it for you—and that normally means you getting sick.

Don’t wait until it’s that late before you stop and release all the stress you’ve piled on yourself.

Embracing Change

Life is constantly changing and throwing new challenges our way. Embrace them wholeheartedly, but remember to never put your mental or physical health in jeopardy.

Learn to understand what may not be right for you at this moment and be willing to let it go.

I honestly think that’s one of the reasons why things become so complicated: our unwillingness to let things go.

Learn to filter the things you can change and ignore the ones you cannot. Remember that your well-being should always come first. Everything else can wait.

Take care of yourself, keep things simple, and embrace change—these are just some of the lessons I’ve learned on my journey, and there’s a lot more that I have to share.

What strategies do you use to balance your busy life with your creative passions?

Let me know in the comments below.

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Thanks for reading!

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