1. A little bit daily. I don’t think many of us have a lot of time daily to do creative/inner work. And that’s okay. Deliberately carving out a little bit of time every day can have an “a lot of time” effect. Plus, the consistency and ritual of doing the same thing every day can make it easier and easier to actually do the thing the longer you do it—and your mind will start to anticipate your sessions and get into productive work states quicker and quicker. Aligning this with your morning or evening ritual can be an excellent place to start.
2. A respectable chunk weekly. If your daily grind is too crazy, (a) try to change that, but (b) until you can… reserving an hour or two within a week can be an excellent alternative. For example, maybe on Sunday you have a slow morning followed by a deliberate weekly reflection. The distinct benefit with this medium-length time is that you don’t have to spend extra time getting focused—whereas within the “little bit daily” sessions, some time will undoubtedly be spent getting into the right headspace.
3. A whole itinerary monthly or quarterly. This could be good for the person who rarely can find time for themself. Look at the month or quarter ahead and find the one or two days when you have the least going on. Block that whole time and create a creative/inner-work/self-care itinerary. Take this seriously and don’t waste it on social media timelines. Do not disturb mode; blank canvas; boredom; deep thinking; careful creation.
You’re not too busy to get creative/inner work done. You’re just not taking it seriously enough.