Whether you’re a creative type or not, it’s important to keep the ideas factory you call your brain working at peak efficiency.
One of the tips I have – to avoid creative burnout – is to give yourself enough time to be creative. But what does that really mean?
Creative project time
The first part of the time equation is making sure your project timeline supports creative thinking.
You need time to put yourself in your clients’ shoes, mull over their frustrations and their challenges and consider potential solutions from different angles. While you have to put a cap on your ideas brainstorming time, your project schedule does need to factor that in if you don’t want to take disastrous shortcuts.
Creative life time
The next part of the time equation is making sure your life supports creative thinking.
Sounds important, doesn’t it? Like one of those “spend more quality time with your kids” things. Important, but something that sometimes gets a bit squished in the priority list.
Making time for a creative pursuit is just as important as making time for your accounting and marketing.
Once a month, I set off in with no specific agenda in mind. I go to the museum. I head to an art gallery. I mooch through laneways looking at people and graffiti. I don’t go out to “source blog ideas”, “fill my Instagram thread”, or “look creative”.
The goal is to let my brain breathe.
I go out to meander and dawdle and daydream and doodle. Sometimes I come home feeling refreshed and revived, but not always.
The results are cumulative
By making regular time in my life to be creative, I’m more likely to slip into the smoking jacket of creativity more easily. It’s fun, too.
And after a busy month of writing, I know I deserve a few hours off.
So, how about you? How much time do you really make to feed your creativity? Do you think it’s important? Or a load of nonsense that successful business people don’t have time for?
I’d love to know your thoughts.
Belinda
11 Responses
Hear, hear Belinda! Everyone, whether they’re in creative industries or not, needs fallow time – just to be. Children more than anyone – all the crazy over scheduling that goes on these days must be so counter productive to creativity!
Thanks Charlotte! It’s something I’ve started to value more intensely this year. I suspect I’ve begun to draw on reserves I never knew I had but I know I need to keep that well full if I want clients to tell me they love their copy!
Great advice Belinda, it’s hard to be creative on demand. I’m all for scheduling more creative time in future to keep the juices flowing.
It sounds funny to schedule creative time doesn’t it? A burden of our modern life….
Hi, there. Great post. The demand for creativity is at its peak today and I believe that its very important to take meaningful hiatus from work at times to get your creative juices flowing
Thanks for commenting – I couldn’t agree more!
Hello Belinda, you’ve just hit the nail on the head. These are great piece of advice to work with.
I am up for creativity!
Thanks Jackson. Sometimes easier said than done but worth the effort.
Hi Belinda,
No matter what your business or other endeavor, time for creative thought is important. It’s difficult to plan your next move or envision the next step in your business without it. In that way, you could think of it as a business necessity. I’m wondering how you evolved this particular approach. Wonder if you could tell us more in the comment section of the BizSugar community so that all our members can benefit as well.
Done Heather!
http://www.bizsugar.com/Self-Development/how-to-ensure-your-well-of-creativity-never-runs-dry-/
PS thanks for commenting.