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The power of deep focused work
65 Plays1 year ago
This episode discusses the importance of deep focused work in pottery making to enhance skills and creativity. It provides tips on building the habit of consistent studio time, setting timers for deep work focus, and utilizing conducive environments like residencies for optimal results.
On May 31st I am doing an workshop with Guest Artist Mike Cerv and Mike is talking about How to Make Slab Built Goblet Cups! To register before all the spots are taken click this link to save your spot https://shapingyourpottery.ck.page/products/how-to-make-a-slab-built-goblet-cup-w
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Transcript
The Importance of Deep Focus in Pottery
00:00:00
Speaker
What is up Taper Nation this is Nick Torres here and on today's episode I'm going to be talking about why you need to do deep focused work to grow your pottery, to make the best pottery you can, or to just come up with a new idea.
00:00:17
Speaker
So you see, I've interviewed tons of people that have been to residencies and a lot of the times that people that I've interviewed that have been to residencies, they say that the reason why they're able to grow their pottery is because they were one in the environment around other people.
00:00:35
Speaker
But two, it's that they could do that deep focus work without being interrupted in the day after day after day after day, they're doing that deep focused work. And that's where that's a zone that we all need to kind of get into.
Habit Development for Consistent Studio Work
00:00:51
Speaker
And I know it can be hard because we have jobs or family and other things that can not make us go do deep focus work. But if you can find a way to do deep focus work,
00:01:03
Speaker
then your potter is going to grow from it. And if you could do it consistently, your part is going to grow tenfold. And how exactly do you do this deep focus work? There's a couple of things I've learned that I have tried myself and I've learned from other potters.
00:01:21
Speaker
So the first thing is it's going to be hard to get into the studio consistently sometimes, especially if you're working, have family, whatever. I just mentioned that. But the first thing that we have to do is we have to build that habit of getting into the studio consistently. And how do you do that? So something I like to do is simply. Number one is if you are able to is when you wake up, go directly to the studio.
00:01:49
Speaker
Number two is to maybe just sit there for a second for five minutes, just sit there in the studio. That's it. That's all you have to do or make something out of clay for five minutes. Do something for five minutes in that studio by simply being in a studio for five minutes. You're going to be more inclined to want to work. And that's where the deep focus work starts by simply getting into the studio.
Tools and Techniques for Maintaining Focus
00:02:14
Speaker
But now now that you're in the studio and you build that habit, how do you develop that deep work focus? So something that you could do is setting a timer, setting a timer for maybe an hour, an hour and 10 minutes. And you set that timer. And from that.
00:02:32
Speaker
From the time that timer starts, you are working, you are doing that deep focus work, and you are working, working, working, working, working. And you're doing that for an hour and 10 minutes, an hour, an hour, every single time you do it. And then once the time hits off, go take a break. Don't look at your phone.
00:02:51
Speaker
I promise you, if you look at your phone, everything's going to go downhill. Don't look at your phone and then go directly after five minutes or so you stretch, get some water, then go back into the studio and set another hour and then keep doing that until you are either exhausted or you just can't do it anymore or you just don't want to do that anymore for the day.
Community and Environment's Role in Pottery Focus
00:03:14
Speaker
But that's how you build that deep focus work, either by simply sitting in the studio five minutes or setting timers as well. You could also be in different environments where you're allowed to do deep focus work. Maybe it's residency or maybe you are in a studio space yourself. You're allowed to do that deep focused work. And simply being in that environment allows you to do that deep focus work because other people are doing it as well.
Concluding Thoughts on Deep Focus and Farewell
00:03:41
Speaker
So those are my tips for helping you do deep focus work for your pottery. Hope you guys enjoy this episode and I'll see you guys in the next one.