so you quit your job and wanna be a full time artist, but don’t know what to do next
a literal step by step guide on how to use your chronotype and birth chart to build a schedule
Neighbors,
There are so many guides and gurus out there talking about how to market yourself now that you are a full-time artist. The top ten tips to making reportable content, how to become more charismatic, how to make sales and build a tier able business offer.
But, there are not that many telling you what to do.
I mean literally. What do you do now that you are owning 100% of your time? What is the best way for you to manage that time?
Never fear, for Hues is here.
In this stack you will find a step by step guide on how to build a schedule that works for you. Including an example!
Before we jump in there though, a couple of housekeeping things.
This guide will only work if you have 100% ownership of your time. So, if you are currently employed and at the will of someone else this guide will not be as effective. However, you can still use it! Just use the steps for your days off!! <3
If you haven’t subscribed to THE NEIGHBORHOOD FORTUNETELLER yet, please do! <3 We have a monthly writing club, and I offer 30 minute card readings every months to paid neighbors.
Meet Neighbor Neighbor. Neighbor is who we will be using as an example throughout the guide. They recently lost their job at the bank they were working at due to layoffs. They have always been interested in painting, and did their best to fit it in here and there. Unfortunately, work often left them drained and so they did spend a lot of their free time sleeping, or watching tv.
Step By Step Guide To Functioning As A Full Time Artist
Step 1: Literally draw or pull up a calendar (i use Google Calendar ). I suggest you lay out all twenty four hours of the day. While examining this calendar ask yourself what is a feasible amount of days a week for you to “work”. Note that work here is in quotations because this is not work as in a job, but work as in what you will be doing with your time. (Most people choices 3-4 working days a week).
Neighbor has decided that 4 working days is what is best for them.
Step 2: Now that you have decided how many days a week you will devote to your work, head on over to the Chronotype Quiz. Chronotypes are, according to The Sleep Doctor, your bodies predetermined genetic inclination to rest in a certain way. That is to say, your chronotype is your bodies natural circadian rhythm. There are four types: Lion, Bear, Wolf, and Dolphin. Each type has their own specific sleep schedule. You can google this, or refer to the chart provided below. This is going to provide you the rough outline of your daily schedule.
Neighbor’s chronotype is a Lion. This means that their ideal schedule is 5:30am—wake-up and eat, 6-7am—planning, brainstorming, meditation, 9-10am—coffee, 10am-noon—hold meetings, noon—lunch, 1–5pm— brainstorm, journal, 5pm-6pm—exercise, 6pm-7pm— Dinner, 10pm—turn off screens, 10:30pm—sleep.
Step 3: Now— forget the times. That’s right, you heard me. Forget the times on the schedule. Why? Because not everyone regulates on the same time table. The important part of your chronotype is the rhythm. So take the ideal schedule and break it into parts. Label each part, and how much time is spent on it.
Neighbor’s rhythm is as follows: Wake up & Eat—30 mins, Planning & Meditation—1 hour, Coffee—1 hour, Work Block 1—2 hours, Eat—1 hour, Work Block 2—4 hours, Exercise—1 hour, Eat—1 hour, Turn off Screens—30 mins, Sleep—7 hours.
Step 4: Now, decide when you would like to wake up. Do you like to rise with the sun? 6am, may be your calling. Are you Like me, and prefer to get plenty of sleep. Then 10am could be your calling. The point is that the time on the clock only matters in regards to the world outside of yourself. If you had complete control of your time, when does your day start? Use this to flesh out the time blocks within your ideal rhythm.
Neighbor really likes to sleep in. Their ideal start time is at Noon.
This makes their schedule look something like this. Noon—wake-up and eat, 12:30pm-1:30pm—planning, brainstorming, meditation, 2:30-3:30pm—coffee, 3:30-5:30pm—Work Block 1, 5:30-6:30pm—lunch, 7pm–11pm— Work Block 2, 11pm-12am—exercise, 12am-1am— Dinner, 4am—turn off screens, 4:30am —sleep.
Step 5: Now, pause. Are you starting to see the shape? Great! But, this wouldn’t be The Neighborhood Fortuneteller without a little fortune telling. So go get your birthday, birth time, and birth location and head over to Astro.com. Click on free horoscopes, chart drawings, and put in your info! We will be looking at the ruler of the 6th house.
Neighbor’s sixth house is in gemini, and therefore ruled by Mercury. This means that Neighbor desires a routine that keeps them entertained with lots of microtasks. Multitasking and extra stimulation are a must!
The 6th house in astrology centers routine and health. By examining the sign and its ruler in this house you are able to find what routines and structures are the most healthy for you. Below I have included a quick reference for the routines the planets and signs desire. If you have any planets in that house examine the commonalities between their desires for routines.
Neighbor also has their North Node, and Saturn sitting in their sixth house. Saturn craves continuity and discipline, and the North Node points them toward their purpose. This is sort of funny because Neighbor was created to help show you all the path to crafting your own schedule and so their are very much ironically in their purpose right now. However, irony aside Neighbor would thrive once they settled into a routine. They also would more than likely need someone else to aid them in a schedule before their Saturn return, which would more than likely lead them to doing exactly what you are doing right now!
Using the planets, and the sign of your sixth house you are also able to determine how strict your schedule needs to be. If you’re like our example and in need of a lot of variety, your work blocks one day may be painting, and on another day crochet. If you have Capricorn in your sixth house, you need something more rigid. Doing the same tasks every day. Drinking the same drinks , and eating the same foods. Use this information to build out what you will do during your work blocks, and any other freebies.
Neighbor decides that because they need to be disciplined, but also need variety what would work best for them is to use their work blocks to pain every day, but introduce the variety in what they eat, what kind of coffee they drink, and what media they listen to/watch while they work.
Step 6: Everyone needs a good Morning Routine and Evening Routine. The Next step is to flesh out these necessary grounding activities. Start off with the basic hygiene necessary for each sequence. Do you shower in the morning? A night time Bath? Brushing your teeth everyday— nonnegotiable! Then pick 1-2 tasks you really enjoy and add those in.
Neighbor enjoys reading, playing video games, stretching, and elaborate skincare routines. Their morning routine is as follows: Wake up, Eat, brush teeth, shower. Their evening routine is as follows: After work, play video games, stretching, skincare.
Step 7: Finally add everything together, and log it into your calendar. Use an app like Finch or Notion to help you keep track of your tasks.
Below is my schedule based on my Bear Chronotype.
