Do you love getting creative? Does putting pen to paper, paint to canvas, and so forth, bring you peace? Satisfaction? Happiness? But, do you also just feel too busy to carve as much time as you would like for your creative endeavours? Well, same here.
I know it’s not always easy to feel like you have enough time on your hands, or energy, to be able to do as much creatively as you would like to.
I've been experiencing this a lot recently to be honest.
I decided to move country and have been extra busy with all that comes with a big life decision like that. For example, searching for a new job became a massive priority.
In the midst of leaving a flat, packing, paperwork and admin, and the many moving parts starting a new chapter entails, my time to get creative felt like it was not a priority anymore. And to be honest, even my creative juices felt very dry. I didn’t feel like I had the mental space to focus on it.
But for me, as for many creatively natured people, this is kind of a danger zone. Without a creative outlet, or continuing creative projects, stress, unhappiness and a feeling of lack of progress or fulfilment can start to creep in. And, indeed it did with me.
So I started to make changes with how I was using my time to still incorporate creativity into my life. Now looking back throughout this period, and throughout my life really, I wanted to share my learnings from the big question: how can we still keep up with our creative pursuits during busy, and even stressful periods?
Firstly, before diving into my five ways mapped out below, I want to kindly, but also aggressively, remind you of something very, very, very important: you are allowed to dedicate time to being creative.
Getting creative can be part of your crazy schedule. It can be a priority. Actually, it should be.
So yes, read that again: you are allowed to dedicate time to being creative.
Keep reading that as many times as you might need for it to soak in.
Yep, being creative is not silly, nor a waste of a time. If it's important to you then it's okay to prioritise it.
And let me also remind you that your other big priorities can, and most probably will, wait for you while you dedicate some time to getting creative, to progressing passions, to connecting with yourself, to expressing yourself, to letting go. You get the vibe.
Another reminder, there's always a way to make time for the things that matter the most to you. It's cheesy but true.
Maybe it's about dedicating a day each month to creativity, or an hour a week, or even just 5 minutes a day during your lunch breaks. But, try to dedicate some time.
Below are 5 ways, which I've found helpful - and which I have learnt kind of the hard way - to incorporate more creativity into our oh so busy busy lives!
1. Sign up to classes
Having a designated few hours a week in the form of classes can really be beneficial.
Being in a different space, around new like minded people, learning and getting creative can feel like an exciting experience, and even an escape.
And indeed, simply doing something that interests you will also be great for your mental health during periods of stress.
Also, I do think when we commit and pay for a service, it’s more likely it will sort of force us to make the effort to attend and give it time.
2. Calendarising and time management
If you’re working full time and can only get creative during your time outside of work, try to establish days or hours when you can focus on creativity.
The most important part is to treat this as a non-negotiable commitment, like you would do with meeting a friend.
Write it in your calendar, for example, “Saturday 2-4pm painting”. If someone asks to meet during this time, try to work around it.
It's crucial to respect the time you've set aside and regardless of how you might feel, stick to the plan.
Also, if you’re someone who likes to write daily, weekly, monthly plans or goals, be sure to include your creative goals too.
For me, breaking them down and calendarising them has really helped to start and finish creative projects.
For example, it could be to complete a painting a month. Which might entail working on the background one week, and then the second week the main figures, the third week the details, and the fourth week finishing it completely.
Or another example could be to set a specific amount of pages, or blogs, or whatever, to write each week. Then you could break this down to more bite size and do-able steps, like “write one page each night before bed”.
Yes, deadlines and goals can be very helpful. But please, do try to find balance and not over-do them or punish yourself around them. Be realistic with your time. This isn't about adding more stress and pressure into your life.
3. Routine and habits
Following up from number 2, if you follow up calendarising creativity and good time management long enough, it will develop into your routine.
It's similar to what they say with exercise, it’s better to have a routine, and be disciplined following it, rather than to rely on motivation. And the same goes with creativity. Or any other activity you might want to incorporate into your life.
Therefore, establishing a routine in which creativity has a space regularly is very important.
A good way to work creativity into your regular routine is to treat it the same way as the gym. See it as a must.
4. Moderate distractions & give yourself incentives
Eliminating distractions is extremely helpful to be able to escape into the mysterious world of creative flow.
But, it's also a lot easier said than done, especially if you might be quite easily distracted like myself.
Firstly, I recommend trying to have a designated space you can retreat to, ideally where you can be alone while you get creative.
Secondly, try to close out the external world. Put your phone on airplane mode or turn it off.
Thirdly, put some music on. Create an atmosphere you feel like you can connect with yourself in.
But I know it's hard to even get to this point sometimes.
After a busy day, maybe even a stressful one, you might just feel like opening up Netflix and vegetating in front of the screen until it's bed time. Yeah, we’ve all been there. And there's absolutely nothing wrong wit that. However, making this your daily go-to might not be so helpful if you really do want to dedicate some time to creativity.
I find that setting myself incentives can help with motivation and time management. For example, I say to myself "If I dedicate just an hour to getting creative, then I can go watch a movie or turn my phone back on."
Usually two things tend to happen after that hour.
Outcome 1, I've really gotten into whatever I'm doing creativity and keep going happily for more time.
Outcome 2, I wrap up after an hour and go watch TV or whatever.
Either outcome, I'm left feeling happier and with a sense of progress.
Yep, any progress is progress. And that leads me to number 5...
5. "Doing something is better than nothing"
I've learnt little by little things really can add up. And that doing something, anything, is way, way better than nothing at all.
In my case this came from adopting a more overall open attitude towards creating, instead of striving for perfection.
Indeed during time constrained stressful periods you need to be kinder to yourself about these things. Ease the pressure off my friend!
I know it’s difficult though.
I am perhaps like you, a person who feels like you need a very specific space, lightning, environment, materials, mood, lot’s of time, and pretty much every factor involved needs to be just right, and how I like it, in order to get creative. Or else it's not worth doing it.
But, I’ve learnt over time that even if I can dedicate the smallest amount of time to creating something I will feel somewhat better after.
For example, maybe it's to simply sit down for only 10 minutes with a notebook to write poems or thoughts, or brainstorm new ideas for projects, or to add some more details to an artwork, or whatever it may be... yes even 10 minutes can make a little difference.
Honestly, think about it, if you did just one sketch a day, by the end of the year you will have 356 sketches. See it all adds up!
Again, this blog isn't about how to make a masterpiece, it's about how to include more creativity into your life. And that means adding the creativity in whenever is possible for you! Maybe 10 minutes a day is a starting step, which later on might develop into 20, 30, or even an hour a day.
Sometimes it's good to think small in a way, to at least start and get going and get doing.
I hope my suggestions might inspire you, or even motivate you, to try add more sprinkles of creativity into your busy routine.
Just remember to also have fun with it, and why it's a priority for you. Because I imagine getting creative makes you happy and brings you peace. And that sounds like it should be a priority to me. :)
Do let me know how it goes! And, if you might have any other suggestions or ways which have worked for you, please do share. I would love to hear them!
For more on creativity, check out these blogs:
7 ways to be more creative & happier
Thoughts on Creativity and happiness
Feel free to reach out to me on Instagram for more art and creative talk, it would be great hear from you! 🫶