Fostering Creativity

Below are some ways you can foster more creativity into your life, which have helped me when I have felt stuck creatively.

1. Set a Schedule – Setting and sticking to a schedule to work on your creative endeavors is really important.  Otherwise, too often, time slips by with little work completed.  Take advantage of little bits and chunks of time, even if that is all you are able to work into your schedule.  Small, incremental progress adds up over time, and you will be amazed how much you can get done in a small amount of time, if you put your mind to it!

2. Dedicated Work Space – Having a dedicated work space frees you from distractions, while providing a place where you can surround yourself with items that inspire you and make you feel the most comfortable.  It also helps to separate work life from personal life, a mix that can often leave some people overwhelmed.  Also, don’t be afraid to mix things up every now and then — working from the deck on a nice day can be a refreshing break in the routine, particularly when your creative juices have stalled.

3.  Discuss Your Creative Endeavors — Share your work with others that you trust, and talk about what is going on in your work.  Having someone/some people to share ideas and discuss hurdles, is vital to keeping an open mind and developing creative solutions.

4. Explore Other Creative Interests – Working everyday on the same project or types of projects can become a drain, at times.  It is easy to get stuck in a creative rut and fall into patterns that you may not even realize exist.  Exploring other creative interests, can provide you an outlet that is different enough to keep your mind stimulated, while still keeping you thinking about your creative work from a different perspective.  Thus, it is a good idea to pursue other creative endeavors that you enjoy.

5. Get Ample Sleep – Sleep deprivation can make it difficult to focus on anything, let alone your creative work.  When you are tired, you are not going to have many creative insights; and when your body is not at its best, neither is your mind.  Thus, it is important to have ample daily sleep to help you continue to steadily pursue your creative projects.

6. Take Breaks – If you find that you are in the “zone,” and you find yourself working for hours, then embrace it.  During these times, you often can produce your best work.  However, a couple of regularly scheduled breaks, throughout your work day, can serve as a great way to re-energize.  When you get stuck, it is a good idea to take a break, as it forces you to stop and step away and, during these breaks, you are more likely to see the problem you are trying to solve in a new light.

7. Regular Exercise – Daily exercise is a great way to get your creative juices flowing.  It provides space and many people devise ideas while they are exercising that they would not otherwise discover.  So, if you are stuck in you creative project, go take a walk or run, and you will be likely to solve the problem or road block that you are facing.

Happy creating!