Keeping yourself creative
Being creative is hard. Staying creative is even harder. If you doubt that, just take a look at all the blog posts and sites dedicated to helping people stay inspired. So, in the face of looming deadlines, impossible requests, and a never-ending mass of projects, how can you keep your mind ready to deliver an awesome product?
I’m not asking this question rhetorically. Recently, I discovered that it was just, hard, for me to be creative anymore. Every idea I came up with sounded flat, or boring, or worse, like a rehash of someone else’s superior product. I’m not talking about just the visual stuff, either. My code felt stale, my writing (I occasionally write stuff for pleasure) seemed dull. Everything.
So, after doing some thinking, I found what I thought was the answer. Being creative had become my job, and because it was my job, I just didn’t want to do it when a paycheck wasn’t involved. I didn’t just let my mind “do it’s own thing” anymore. Instead, I tried to force creativity out of it like blood from a stone.
So, I started thinking about how I could break out of my rut, and let myself enjoy the creative process again. The answer turned out to be simple. Make small, creative goals or tasks that aren’t tied to any specific objective, other than completing them for their own sake.
A little historical perspective.
When I was younger, I used to draw constantly. Blank pages, margins in my notes (or papers) for class, backs of binders, folders, sketchbooks, my desk, etc. If there was an empty surface, I would draw on it. Most of the time, all I did was doodle or sketch. Usually I would draw multiple, disparate sketches on the same piece of paper before moving onto something else.
My sketching habit go so “bad” at one point that my history teacher had to call my mother and speak with her about all the doodles she was finding on my papers. My grades weren’t slipping, and my sketches weren’t violent or awful, but my sketching was almost compulsive, and that worried my teacher.
After some discussion, my mother and my teacher determined that sketching was how I kept focused, and, more importantly, how I kept creative.
I ain’t gonna paint(or sketch) no more.
When I got older, sketching stopped being part of the equation. I got a “real” j-o-b, and didn’t have the time or inclination to “waste time” sketching. Unfortunately, I now realize that I was denying my brain what it needed to detox. By only associating the creative process with “work,” I was slowly associating it with something that I didn’t do for enjoyment. Ultimately, this resulted in the “creativity crisis” that I discussed above.
Micro-goals might be the answer.
To break out of the rut, I decided the that I needed to rewire my brain to re-associate the creative process with enjoyment instead of just work. So, I decided that every day, rain or shine, I would sketch something. I would never pre-determine what I would sketch, and neither would I decide how long to sketch for. If I drew for ten minutes, great. If it was an hour, even better.
So, I ordered a stylus for my iPad, and downloaded the Sketchbook Pro app. Now, I’m not saying you should run out and drop $500 for an iPad. Pencil and paper will do just fine (they’ve worked for thousands of years, after all). I just usually have my iPad with me, and it provides an easy way to share my sketches, if I choose to do so.
So did it work? I’d like to think so. After a week or so of getting back into it, I’ve noticed that I slide more easily into the “creative mode” at work. Also, sketching itself comes easier to me. I’d say that I’m on the track to recovery.
But I’m a developer/writer/someone who doesn’t draw!
Usually when people speak of “finding inspiration,” they talk about it in artistic terms. But this shouldn’t shut out developers, or tech writers, or executives, or anyone, for that matter.
Developers can set minor daily or weekly coding projects. Writers can pull a Finding Forester and try to write a set-amount a day.
If you can’t think of anything that is related to what yo do, try something that isn’t. For instance, along with my daily “sketch challenge,” I’ve decided that every week I’m going to cook something that I have never cooked before. Last week was Thai-Curry Beef with Crispy Noodle cake (not so good), and this week will be something totally different. You might try running or exercise (a great way to “zone” and let your mind start to wander). The point is to let your mind “do its own thing,” and take the rest of you along for the ride.
Some additional inspiration.
If you’re having trouble keeping inspired, you might try some of these resources:
- Twitter - Try to follow people that have meaningful ideas to talk about. I can recommend @happycog and @beep for starters.
- Dribbble - Even if you aren’t a member (which I am not, *cough*), there are some amazing “shots” on this site that can spur your own ideas.
- Flickr - Take a walk through some random tags and see what fires up your mind.
- FeedGrids - An excellent design and development post aggregator, pulling info from most of the major sites, as well as posting their own original content.
- Fuel Your Writing - A great site dedicated to helping writers improve their craft.
- Google Code Jam - An awesome (and competitive) way to flex your coding muscles
