Create a Little Bit Everyday

Between work and taking care of everyday stuff, sometimes it's hard for me to get a moment to do the creative things that I enjoy. I've come to appreciate the little moments I have on the days that I don't have time to sit down and pour over my manga and write.

Write a little bit. Write something!

Sometimes I only have time to write a sentence or two about my day or how I feel. That's okay. It's still writing something meaningful. And when I get down to the serious work, I don't feel like I've gotten rusty. I also like taking on a writing prompt once in a while if I know I don't have the time for my main project.

For me, making pixel art is also strangely relaxing. It's like dot, dot, dot...

Draw or doodle anything. 

I do sketches on random pieces of paper. It doesn't have to be anything special. Lately I've downloaded an app on my phone that allows me to do pixel art. Personally, I find painting apps on phones to be mostly useless, but pixel drawing on the other hand, is very enjoyable. It's so 1980's, but still cute. And I still have to use the same parts of my brain that I use for drawing manga, so it's helpful.

I also like looking for crafts that only take an hour or less to do, so if I get the urge to make something, it doesn't suck up time from my entire week. I guess the key is to keep doing things--to keep inventing and using my skills.  I find that I feel much happier when I do. I'm not freaking out when I get back to my main work because I haven't drawn or written anything in so long.