Making room for a more creative life
As somebody who creates for a living, I find myself in the situation where I’m not living as creatively as I'd like.
I am an artist and designer and I love what I do. When these activities became my business, it became too easy to get consumed doing the work that pays the bills and forgetting about the value of making for making's own sake. While I'm a staunch advocate of making a living out of your passion, I've come to learn that that passion must be fueled if you want it to last. Whether you are a creative professional, or somebody who enjoys dabbling in creative pursuits for fun, here are some tips for injecting more creativity in your days.
1. Hold on to the joy
There's a reason you’re able to put so much time, energy and heart into what you do. I remember staying up late into the night as a child, to finish one project or another. From writing a short play to, making the latest issue of my 'zine; from designing a train to transport My Little Pony collection to, constructing a shelter in the living room. The world would stop until I was done. When external expectations and deadlines are attached, that exhilaration can wane. Sometimes, life just gets in the way – obligations, kids, work.
If your creative time is truly important to you, it needs to be treated with the same seriousness you would the things you look it over for. It needs to be prioritised rather than relegated to the "when I have time" pile.
2. Schedule it
Last year flew by so quickly. Before I knew it, my ever-growing to-do list was carried over into 2012. So much for a clean slate! I realised my error: writing daily goals without noting how much time each would need. I’d have needed at least 30 waking hours each day to successfully complete them all. In actuality, the most important (read: bill-paying) things got done and everything else was relegated to "someday". I could sleep at night but my soul was as restless as a starved mosquito!
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