Renée Phillips is the Director of Manhattan Arts International, an author of several books and a public speaker. She is known as "The Artrepreneur Coach" and provides empowering life and career strategies for creative individuals.

We all need more time to rest, relax, reflect and recharge our creative batteries. I took this photo while at a spa in Connecticut.

Could it be we are partly responsible for not having enough time to do what we love to do?

If only we were more like the worker bees and queen bees who rule in efficiency in the natural world. However, we are humans and we waste time unintentionally, some of us more than others.

Among the top time wasters are: telephone socializing, junk mail/e-mail, a poorly organized work area, lack of essential information, excessive red tape and paperwork, poorly planned procedures, failure to plan and implement priorities, poor skills in delegating, training and conceptualizing, procrastinating, poor scheduling, overcommitting, attempting to do too much at once, and striving for perfection.

Creativity has its own force that refuses to abide by logic, organization and discipline. It is easy to become immersed in the creative process and let time disappear into thin air.

To be successful "Artrepreneurs" we need to manage time efficiently. If we want to decrease the stress in our lives we need to employ some time management tools.

If we use just a few of these 19 time management tips we will increase productivity and gain a lot more time. Try some and see for yourself.

19 TIME-SAVING STRATEGIES

• Be committed to the project at hand.
Set aside sufficient time without any distractions. Rehearse the task mentally. Quiet the mind. Focus your attention. Take each step deliberately. Become totally absorbed in what you’re doing, and a free-flowing momentum will transpire.

• Use modern technology to improve efficiency.
Answering machines, fax machines, computers, copy machines, scanners and digital cameras are user-friendly and very affordable. Multi-purpose machines combine fax, scanner, phone and printer and save desk space and hours of manual labor.

• Use Organizational Tools .
Incorporate your career plans into your daily routine. Make and use lists, calendars and appointment books. Alphabetize your files and organize your materials to help you locate them quickly.

• Add pleasure to your tasks.
Buy and/or create such materials that are colorful, well designed and aesthetically appealing to you to make working with them a creative experience.

• Create a clutter-free work zone..
Your environment should be free from visual and sound distractions. If possible use a separate room for an office or arrange a space in a corner of your studio, bedroom or a closet. In this work area place your phone, computer, book and a file cabinet to store your photographs, Photo CDs, résumé and business receipts.

Also organize your art supplies on shelves or in containers. In my small apartment I converted my linen closet into an art supply closet. Both shelves and plastic, pull-out transparent drawers (shoe box size), that contain supplies that are organized by paints, craft supplies, small tools, etc.

• Plan Ahead.
Make tomorrow’s plans and write your “To Do” list the night before and arrange the activities in order of urgency.

• Be Ready To Take Action
Create promotional materials by the dozens and have several sets of Photo CDs on file. Keep several copies of your current résumé ready to go. Maintain your mailing list on the computer and keep it up to date. When you need to take action you will be ready, set and can go!

• Keep a closed door to your private studio.
This should be your sacred space. Let others know that you want to be left alone with your creativity. You should also provide time to brainstorm, daydream, meditate and restore balance. Set limits on your social and family demands.

• Break large projects down into smaller chunks.
If you are setting aside important projects waiting for that big block of time to be available you’ll discover that it may never arrive. It is better to use the five-minute strategy and tackle the project with small amounts of time on a regular basis.

• Practice discipline.
One of the hardest aspects of a small business or home-based business is creating the discipline or motivation to work each day. Pay attention to those times you drift away. Refer to your "To Do" list.

• Make the commitment.
Set aside time each day and/or week to work on your career. Ideally, this should be a peak energy time when you have the ability to focus and concentrate on details.

• Discover your time-wasting habits.
If you aren't sure how you do this, try listing every activity during the day and the time it took, including distractions such as useless phone chatter and looking for papers that have not been filed away properly.

Periodically, ask yourself whether the activity you a’re doing is urgent or important. Is it a priority? If neither, move on to something else that is.

• Ask for help.
When we are reluctant to ask for help we end up wasting time, becoming frustrated or making costly mis-takes. Hire a professional specialist when needed.

• Delegate simple tasks.
Become the CEO of your career and delegate. High school or college interns will work for experience or small stipend. They can help you do research on the Internet, stretch canvases, prepare mailings, send e-mails, organize your papers, and type letters.

• Become a master at slowing time.
Pay attention to the small miracles of life. Reconnect with a sense of discovery and try to see events unfold through the eyes of a child, watching the first sunrise, or the miraculous way birds fly together in formations. Find your best way to meditate. This tip alone will reduce your stress level and help you become more productive.

• Elimiate all the reoccurring irritations and annoyances.
When you come across a problem, don’t just fix it for now, get to the root of it and redesign your behavior. For example, if you are spending too much time taking personal phone calls, either put a time limit on them or screen your calls by using Caller ID.

• Avoid procrastination.
This is one of the major causes of failure. The pain of trying to finish a project at the last hour is greater than confronting it immediately. Some of the reasons for procrastination are: fear of failure; fear of success; fear of change; fear of the unknown; fear of responsibilities; lack of motivation; lack of skill and lack of preparation. If you procrastinate excessively consider hiring a career coach.

• Finish dreaded tasks first.
Most of us postpone a project we dislike, only to have it hang over our heads worrying about it, feeling guilty about not doing it, and finding excuses not to do it. If you just do it, you will feel a sense of relief. Often, the dreaded tasks are not as undesirable as we thought and might bring positive results.

After you finish a dreaded task, reward yourself with a favorite activity or treat. Give yourself a proverbial pat on the back!

• Maintain good health.
In the battle against time and aging, you cannot ignore the correlation between good nutrition, mental and spiritual health, and productivity. If your health is impaired, your career will be threatened.

Exercise regularly. Avoid the use of toxic artist materials, as well as toxic environments and relationships. Don't neglect your nutritional needs. You may frequently be tempted to work long and hard in your studio but you need balance. Have plenty of healthy snacks, fresh fruits and vegetables and clean drinking water close at hand.

• Look for Shortcuts
It is possible that you discovered this article because I announced it on Twitter. If you are like me and like to tweet often schedule several of your tweets ahead of time by using sites like http://www.twuffer.com

Renee is known as The Artrepreneur Coach, helping artists design strategies to excel in their careers. Her advice for artists are immediately effective in increasing creativity, publicity and profit. Learn more.

Read more articles by Renée Phillips.