Creative Routines - by Peyali Das Dhar
Creating a Creative Routine
Nothing seems to induce creative energies to flow more than a creative routine (for me, anyway). Over the past few weeks, I find myself spending time searching for what could be the ideal daily routine for a creative wizard. I wasn't able to find anything that could delineate a perfect routine for a true creative thinker. However, I think getting into the groove of some kind of a routine is inherent to human nature. Imbued with the doctrine of constantly jumping from one scheduled event to the next, we run to achieve success quickly. Yet this alone does not yield what is truly aspired by a creative being. During childhood, parents deliberately ingrained into our minds to live a structured life. Starting from preschool to the place of our work, we have been programmed to follow an agenda and have learnt that getting out of it might create room for disorder.
In general, creative routines can be split between two broad classes of people. Ones who take creativity as hobby, and the others, who take it as profession. Certainly, these different sets of people will assign different importance and priority to their respective creative activities and so will have their own standardized creative routine.
Moreover, the truth is that creativity carries a degree of elusiveness. A daily routine can either stimulate or restrict our creativity depending on its structure and purpose. By inducing ourselves into a little practice, we can get into habits that can ignite our imagination more often.
Start your ‘Someday’ list today, because it is the best day. We all have a long ‘someday’ list (even I have one). Someday, I'll write a novel. I'll design my own dress. I'll work as a feature film producer... We relegate our most meaningful projects to the ‘Someday’ list where they wilt away as we cross off our immediate tasks. Instead of waiting for one fine day when everything will be perfect to let you start working on your dream, you should just take the first step. Plan a week to get started on the ‘Someday’ list before switching to tasks that are more practical and things will flow from there automatically. People, who are into a day job and have no other way out, need to utilize their time strategically and should sieve out some quality time to cash in for their creative self.
2) Wake up when your body permits, and sleep when your body demands.
To be very honest and frank, there is actually no set sleep schedule for a creative nerd. I read in a Journal that Charles Darwin slept at 3:00 pm and Mr. Rogers used to take nap every afternoon, so why not take a siesta? It is proven that rest allows energy so your creative juices flow. Rebooting helps your system perform optimally. Also, NASA has confirmed that a 26 minute nap boosts your alertness by near 54%. Spending sleepless nights by force cannot morph you into a creative person. Time and again it happened to me. I could not shut my eyes one bit due to my creative aspiration, my deadlines, my yearning to complete the task. I think it happens to all people who are into hard-core creativity. Nevertheless, do not let this drive consume you. If you have work and your mind permits, definitely go for it. But don't force yourself deliberately to spend sleepless nights even if you are away from your regular work. Just because some famous people have been stereotyped as nocturnal creatures, it does not imply that the same holds true for you.
3) Don’t force yourself work; let the creativity flow spontaneously.
Never force yourself if you are not willing to work, provided you do not have a deadline. Creativity is a state of natural flow, and spontaneously and effortlessly gives birth to a routine in general, which will perhaps help you guide yourself. Now once you are into this flow, your job is to optimize is further for better outcomes. Sometimes repetitive routine breeds boredom. You can transform it and apply ways that can give you enjoyment. Like going for a date, hanging out with friends or indulging you into some sports. A short break can help you sit for long hours of work, with great concentration, projecting an aura of freshness and enthusiasm. Also, by breaking up your work hours you can remember things well.
Being a creative writer, I personally feel that mornings offer very little room for thinking. We are so very programmed to do the same things at the beginning of a day like getting up early morning, 15 minutes of sports or exercise, step in the shower, get dressed, double check the door is locked or not and then hop on the train. Therefore, essentially not following a strict morning routine- and allowing your brain to project the needful, will help you to carry your most creative thinking. Nevertheless, adhering to a strict routine will inevitably result in the buildup of stress. That is why it is important to constantly revise your habits, to avoid become too fixated- to the point where you are almost obsessed with your daily routine.
4) Build an ability to judge yourself
As creativity is very broad and undefined, it is impossible to measure your own creative standard. By personally interacting with and reading in detail about few creative wizards such as J.R.Vosovic( writer & producer), Elyot Grant(AI specialist) and Josh Issacson( producer & writer) to name a few. I have managed to discover one of their many secrets to survival in the crowd. I found that they track the best work done in their fields and try to analyze where they are lacking. This crosschecking helps them to fine-tune their skill. One of the best ways to judge your work is to be criticized by the experts. For that, taking part in the competitions and interacting with people in online forums and chat groups is a wonderful practice. Beside criticism, appreciation in these communities might help you incorporate new ideas, connect to other professionals, and excel. Apart from that, checking out everyday what you did the previous day is also very helpful. With a citical eye you''ll be able to discover some of your flaws by your own.
Do not get satisfied easily. Force yourself into repeated trials and hard-core implementation. Once you get convinced with your work, you will lose the desire to make further improvements. However, getting satisfied easily might damage your creative essence. So keep up your spirit and nurture what better you can do. But at the same time you must know where to stop. It is all about finding the proper balance and when you are saturated, do not stay back to take a break.
5) Find a room of solitude
True creative work requires a fertile, solitary environment that sharpens your attention rather than dividing it. When you want to cultivate creativity, go solo. Carve out some time to commune with your thoughts, without allowing outer voices to get in your way or interrupt. Solitude should be a part of your artistic pursuit. Think of how you can best utilize into your creative time for optimal results.
Even if you can’t ‘hit the road’ on daily basis, never lose hope, and try to keep your creative spirits alive until you can achieve your goals, and pave your way towards success.
