Is creativity a lifestyle? How do you make creativity part of your daily life?
When I was in high school I used to believe that I was everything but not creative. For me, it was coming down to the perception that “creative people” were those who were good at art and if to be more precise, good at drawing.
So, according to this belief I placed myself in the category of “not creative” people, even though for as long as I can remember myself as a child I was doing a competitive ballroom dancing, attending a music school, sewing toys and stuffed animals, I was really fond of making all sorts of crafts.
Unsurprisingly, like many others, I was encouraged by our education system to get focused on mathematics and logic. So I told myself it was more natural for me to fall into the category of “left-brained” people. Have you ever heard of it? People say that they tend to be more of a right-brain or left-brain thinker. They describe that one side of their brain is dominant. If you’re mostly analytical and methodical in your thinking, you’re said to be left-brained. If you tend to be more creative or artistic, you’re thought to be right-brained.
For a few years, I have been honing my technical skills in the field of finance and business consulting. It was easy for me to say “I am not a creative person” when someone was challenging me at work to think creatively. It was a great excuse to stay in my comfort zone feeling safe and secure.
Even later, when I took up a creative hobby it wasn’t until I’ve read a couple dozen of books about making better films and photographs before I read anything on creativity. The truth is, it took me almost my lifetime to realize that this isn’t how creativity works.
This kind of thinking was the reason why my brain wasn’t connecting dots. And if you feel as you’ve hit a wall and there’s nothing creative in your brain, believe me, it’s this kind of thinking that causes problems tapping into creative parts of your brain.
The last few years showed to me that it’s fully within our power to practice our creative thinking and we can learn to think creatively.
If you want to be creative, you've got to develop and expand your knowledge. Just like with anything else!
My daughter learns how to do gymnastics. Five times a week she goes to gym and train hard to become a better gymnast. It takes practice, as does driving a car.
“Creativity is no different. The more you make creativity part of your daily routine, the more it will grow.”
So how do you make creativity part of your daily life? Here are a few things to do to be creative and create consistently.
1. Workout your creativity every day
Treat it like a muscle training. Just like going to the gym. Discover what time of the day you’re at your best and set aside an hour a day to create, or three hours twice a week (whatever works for you).
You have to schedule your time in advance and protect this time like it’s a crucial doctor’s appointment!! No distractions allowed (including, social media, phone calls, emails, chatting with family and friends, nothing!)
Don’t set any goals for yourself, just get to work and see what you can create without pushing or straining yourself.
Make it feel like a holiday and not like “ugh, this thing AGAIN?”.
Set yourself up for success and work on a project or learn a new technique.
2. Be a lifelong student
Seriously, you need to adopt a lifelong student mentality. There is so much you can learn from reading, listening to podcasts, watching films on topics other than photography and filmmaking. Never stop being curious!
Sign up for a class in something you’ve never done before.
Take a 20-minute walk in nature.
Push yourself outside of your comfort zone and do something different.
The more diverse content you consume the more you can ignite your creative-self!
3. Pause and move your body
“Feeling bored”, or “stuck in a rut”?
I hear that a lot.
If you want to spark your creativity go for a walk and spend some time in nature. Physically move your body. It will have a positive effect on your creative thinking.
4. Put your electronic devices away
The amount of information we receive and process from these devices on a daily basis is overwhelming. It’s getting harder and harder to be creative.
Stop spending your “down” time swiping through Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, reading emails. Do a mini digital detox :-)
Take a break from your devices and give yourself all the space you need to inspire your creativity.
5. Challenge yourself
If you want to be more creative you need to challenge yourself to do something new:
Learn a new skill.
Try a new lens.
Explore new ideas.
You need to find what lights you up inside to maintain your creative groove.
6. Surround yourself with the right people
This one is really important! If you want to feel motivated and keep on keeping on creating, try to find people who have the skills that complement your own. You can’t do it alone. You need people around who can give you energy and help you propel forward. Focus on relationships with people who can share their wins and positive vibes and help you realize that you can do the same.
That’s all for now.
P.S. How do you make creativity part of your everyday? Go ahead and write in the comments. Let me know what works for you and how do you keep yourself creative? Write in the comments below.