(“CREATION II: Birth of a sculpture”; courtesy of Akbar Simonse)
Although there are many methods to coax creativity, get “in the flow”, connect with your muse, and so on, in order to create you have to begin by making the time to create. The image of the creative genius who lives in complete chaos and creates at odd moments when inspiration suddenly hits is simply a silly, romanticized version of the creative process. You can learn to turn inspiration on like a faucet by practicing your craft on a regular basis, that is, by carving time out of your schedule for the process of creation. The intent of this post is to help you do just that.
Prioritize Your Creativity Time
Steven Covey highlighted the importance of prioritizing important but not urgent tasks in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
One of the secrets of highly creative people is that they show up to create on a regular basis. Schedule a regular time to practice your craft–whether it’s writing or anything else–and show up, even if you’re not feeling creative. For example, every weekday block out the time from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. to write, compose, sculpt, or whatever your craft may be.
Shut off All Distractions
Create the digital equivalent of hanging a “Do Not Disturb Sign” on the door. Turn off the telephone ringer and let your answering service pick up in case anyone calls, turn off your e-mail, cell phone, and blackberry, and disconnect from twitter and other social media. Every time you’re interrupted by a phone call, an instant message, and so on, you have to break your flow of thought and shift your attention to the interruption. Aside from the time that you use to deal with the interruption, when you get back to work you need to regather your thoughts and spend more time getting yourself back on track.
Establish a Clear Purpose for Every Creativity Session
When you sit down to create make sure that you have a clear sense of what you aim to accomplish during that particular creativity session. For instance, your goal could be to spend forty minutes researching an article on the effects of stress on creativity, to spend fifteen minutes creating an outline, and to spend the remainder of the time allotted to get started writing the article.
Have Creativity Triggers
When you’re in creation-mode you’re accessing the right side of your brain. The right brain hemisphere loves symbols, rituals, and routine. Therefore, one way to signal to your right brain that it’s time to create is by having creativity triggers. These triggers can include things such as lighting a candle, using an oil diffuser to give off a particular scent, playing soft music, making tea and serving it in a particular mug, and so on. At the time you’ve set aside each day to create, begin by setting off your triggers so that both your logical mind–the one that sees the time scheduled off on your day planner–and the intuitive, creative mind–the one that notices the candle and the smell of lavender–show up.
Beware of Other Distracting Stimuli
In my post, Sleep Extravaganza – 40 Tools, Tidbits, & Resources to Help You Conquer Sleep , I linked to an article written by David Hamilton in which he explains that even as you sleep, your mind continues to respond to stimulants from all of your senses, such as small amounts of light, soft noises that are not loud enough to wake you up but are detectable, and so on. These seemingly insignificant stimuli can disturb the quality of your sleep. The same concept can be applied to your concentration when you’re trying to create.
When you’re trying to concentrate, random noise such as traffic from the street, a loud neighbor, a dog barking, and so on, can disturb the quality of your attention. In addition, visual distractions, being thirsty or hungry, and being physically uncomfortable, can also break your concentration. Therefore, it’s important that you set up your working environment to help you direct your focus to the task at hand.
Make sure that the room you’re working in allows you to be comfortable. Is the room temperature adequate? Is your chair comfortable? Is there adequate lighting? You can block out extraneous noise with a white noise machine, or you can access the simplynoise.com web site and choose from white, pink, or red/brown noise. You can also consider using Bose noise-canceling headphones. Have a glass of water close at hand and maybe a snack–such as a handful of peanuts–in case you get hungry.
Set Up the Proper Work Environment
In addition, the room where you work should be clean, organized, and clear of clutter. Disorganization and clutter create distraction. Even if you make a point of not looking at the clutter while you’re working, your mind knows it’s there, and your attention will be continuously tugged in the direction of the clutter despite your best attempts to keep it one hundred percent focused on your work. An organized and uncluttered workspace contributes to feelings of relaxation, peace, and focus, helping to establish the proper mood for creation.
Your tools should always be easily accessible. If your art is writing, have a dictionary and a thesaurus at arm’s reach. Other reference books, inspirational material, and so on, should also be nearby. Gather your tools before you begin creating instead of breaking the flow by getting up to look for the things you need in order to create.
Focus Only on the Task at Hand
Set an egg-timer for forty minutes and during that time focus solely on the task at hand. After forty minutes you can take a five minute break, stretch, close your eyes, and walk around. Then come back for another forty minutes and repeat the process as many times as you can in the time you’ve allotted yourself to create. During these forty minute sessions you should aim to become completely immersed in what you’re doing.
Have a Notebook Nearby to Jot Down Any Passing Thoughts
While creating it is very likely that random thoughts will enter your mind, everything from “buy milk”, to new business ideas, to a great title for a screenplay, and so on. If you don’t do something about these thoughts they’re likely to pester you and detract from your concentration. On the other hand, if you get up to act on the new idea or to go to the store to get milk, you’re interrupting your creativity time. Therefore, it’s a good idea to keep a notebook nearby while creating so that you can quickly jot down any extraneous ideas that come to you during your creativity time.
Respect Your Creativity Time
Once you’ve identified yourself as an artist and you’ve made the commitment to devote time and effort to honing your craft, you have to respect the time you set aside for creating. There will always be items to cross off your to-do list, other people will always be vying for your time, and there will always be other things that you could be doing. However, your creativity time is sacred, and you have to make sure to treat it as such.
Conclusion
There are many ways to stimulate your creativity once you’ve sat down to create. However, no creativity technique will help you create if you do not fence off time on a regular basis for the process of creation. Your creativity time has to be zealously protected from interruption, the environment has to be ready to support your creative efforts, and everything should be set up so that the flow of work is not disturbed. In the words of Gustave Flaubert: “Be regular and orderly in your life so that you may be violent and original in your work.”
How do you make time to create? I would love to get your input in the comments section.
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{ 38 comments }
The first thing that caught my attention was Stephen Covey’s book – the first time I read it – that’s the one big thing I took from the book. Working on the important but not urgent. And creativity fits this statement well. We can easily put this off, because there’s not an urgency to do it. And then, before we know it, creativity just doesn’t happen.
I’ve found for me (and we’re all different) that music is a real key to getting into my writing. I have a couple of different sets of songs I listen to – and the key in both is that they put me into a contemplative state. Actually, since I’ve began writing, music has just become much more powerful for me – I feel the songs really have started to speak to me.
These are all great ways to get our creativity flowing Marelisa.
Hi there Mare
I like all your points. I find that when I am really needing to concentrate on writing something, I have to shut the door to my workroom so I am not distracted by Frank walking around the house, even thought he makes hardly any noise. I have to feel “safe” that I won’t be distracted.
Robins last blog post..Reincarnation… A Scenario
Right now, I’m kind of at a loss. I most often have to work beneath an avalanche of noise. I think by December, I’ll have large chunks of quiet, but I’m already dreaming of it now.
Writer Dads last blog post..Big Sloppy Thanks
I get very creative when I’m just vegging out, this is probably because my mind is free. When I say vegging out, I mean not doing anything physically and not thinking about anyhing.
No wonder children now a days lack creativity. They are full of distractions.
@Lance: I think that’s been one of Covey’s most important contributions – alerting people to the fact that if you’re always putting out fires you’re not moving in the direction of your dreams. To accomplish your goals you have to set time aside to complete the tasks that will move you toward your goals, even if these are not urgent tasks.
I know a lot of people get inspired to create by listening to great music. I need white noise or I’ll start singing along with the music or I’ll get up and dance around instead of writing
@Robin: I have a home office and I live alone, but I always shut the door of my office when I’m working. I guess psychologically a closed door tells my mind that it’s time for business.
@Writer Dad: Panama is going through a construction boom right now and I live in the area of Panama with the most construction going on. There is literally construction noise coming at me from every direction. If it weren’t for my headphones and the simplynoise.com web site I think I would have gone nuts by now.
@Chris: That’s one of the things that Carl Honoré–one of the biggest proponents of the slow movement–points out: kids are getting to college full of facts and data but they’ve lost that “spark” or that ability to do things in new and novel ways.
“Every time you’re interrupted by a phone call, an instant message, and so on, you have to break your flow of thought and shift your attention to the interruption.”
This is a good point.
One of the ways I create is by being aware as possible, all the time.
Since I Carry a notepad with me all the time, when compelling ideas or thoughts come my way – I record them. And, in a sense I’m always looking for those thoughts.
So I guess it could be said I’m creating 24 hours a day
Bamboo Forests last blog post..How to Live a Life of Freedom
Surprisingly, my most creative times are in the shower. No phone, no internet connection. The falling water helps to stimulate mental flow, too.
I need to figure out how to get a notepad in there so I can capture my ideas
Al at 7Ps last blog post..The Hero with a Thousand Jobs
Like Al, I’ve written some of my best songs and thought about brilliant blogging ideas in the shower.
I write first thing in the morning, before other distractions enter my mind. I learn after that, and then finally move on to my chores.
I’d like to put songwriting in my morning routines, but right now it’s at the end of the day. In August I made it a goal to pick up my guitar once a day, and spend one hour writing songs at the end after my family goes to bed.
I just need time and routine for creating. Transitioning from maintenance to creation mode naturally happen once I know it’s time to do so.
ari
Ari Koinumas last blog post..Blog Carnival: 10 Posts about Realizing Your Potential — August 2008
Keeping a notebook nearby is so effective for me. It’s amazing what I forget 5 minutes after a great “unforgettable” idea pops into my head.
Laurins last blog post..The Best Frozen Yogurt You Might Never Freeze
I definitely leverage my most creative time, first thing in the morning. I also use your tip with the egg timer and only focusing on the task at hand. I like to see what I can create in an hour and then come back to it with fresh eyes later.
Tom Volkar / Delightful Works last blog post..The Prize is in the Pursuit
I noticed you used 7:30 AM – 10:00 AM as a hypothetical time to block out for creative work. Were you imagining a jobless person when you wrote that? It’s hard for me to feel sympathy for someone who has a lot of time freedom, but can’t manage to be creative.
Hunter Nuttalls last blog post..Good News From The Doctor
For me only one thing works – just sitting down and writing. I can set up everything but unless I put myself in the mindset of writing, I don’t do it.
And if I have the mindset, it doesn’t matter where I am or what state the house is in or what noises surround me.
Alex Fayles last blog post..Pursuing Happiness: Gretchen Rubin Interview
@Bamboo: Constantly shifting between tasks is one of the worse things you can do when you’re creating. The constant need to refocus is a major flow interruption.
@Al: Yes, eureka moments for most people do occur while they’re relaxing or doing something completely unrelated to their craft. However, you need a time where you sit down and bring your ideas to fruition. Also, a lot of times you need to do research so that there’s raw data that can simmer in your mind while you’re in the shower
@Ari: It sounds like you’re creating routines for yourself to accomplish several creative tasks. And you do varied things too, that sounds very interesting
@Tom: My egg timer and I have become inseparable
@Hunter: There’s a lot of people who work at home Hunter, who have tons of things to do, and who set their own schedules. Not everyone has a traditional 9 – 5 job with a boss looking over their shoulder. A lot of people have to sit down and be their own supervisor, which can be a lot harder than working for someone else. Have you read anything by Paul Zane Pilzer (particularly “The Next Millionaires”)? He argues that in the future most companies will outsource the bulk of the work to self-employed contractors.
@Alex: You’re absolutely correct that the right mindset is what is crucial. However, when you’re going to do something day in and day out it’s important that your environment support what you’re trying to do. If it’s getting late and I haven’t written my post for the day I can sit down and write regardless of what else is going on around me. However, what I’ve done–and am trying to turn into a permanent habit–is set things up so that at a particular time I’m creating each and every day (except for weekends) without the need for the added looming deadline pressure breathing down my neck.
I wish that would work for me, but I’ve tried it and I just use prepping the routine as procrastination to the writing.
I’ve found the site “Now Do This” really helps because when my mind starts to wander, I look at the page and it pulls me back to what I’m supposed to be doing.
And it has the advantage of being really simple to do…
http://www.nowdothis.com/
@Alex: Thank you for the link, that site looks interesting.
Shutting off distraction is REALLY important. People sometimes get annoyed with me because I never pick up the phone – but I do this for a good reason. Phone calls are really distracting. I’d much rather let the answering machine pick it up and return the calls later.
@Vered: That’s actually a trick that Tim Ferriss uses as well. That way you have more control over the situation. You know what the person wants (since hopefully they said so in their message) and you can decide whether to call back, send an e-mail, delegate to someone else, and so on, and you can be ready with your answer before responding.
@Laurin: I know, sometimes I’ll be typing away when an idea pops into my head and then I say to myself “I’ll finish typing this sentence and then I’ll write down the idea in my notebook”. By the time I finish writing the sentence I can’t remember what the idea was. I have to retrace my steps to exactly what word I was typing and what I was thinking when I got the idea so that I can remember. Our attention is just pulled in so many different directions at once.
@Hotgirls: That’s an interesting tip, thank you.
very interesting and hath gotten me thinking
with regards to the PURPOSE for the creativity time.
I fear I leave it TOO WIDE OPEN which results in little creating.
MizFits last blog post..Even though we should be thanking HER…
@Mizfit: I think that the time spent relaxing, taking a walk, taking a shower, and so on, is for letting the mind go lose and come up with all sorts of outlandish ideas. But then when we sit at the computer we need to reign in the mind by giving it a set purpose and a deadline.
Hi Marelisa,
I think if I made time to create I would never create. This process is always going on in my head it seems…maybe I’m most creative when I’m in the car, alone…just time with my thoughts. It comes quite naturally, in my head first, then a chosen medium.
Naturals last blog post..Traffic: Flaw in Design or Drivers?
Hi Marelisa. I like the idea of the creativity triggers and the handy notebook. How cool is this…? While I was on my way to your blog I heard myself start to think, “If I were going to create the best life I could imagine, what would it look like?” You can imagine my chuckle as your title “Making Time To Create” popped into view. EXCELLENT work; I loved it!
Davinas last blog post..I Dreamt I Died
Hi Marelisa,
Great question.
I get creative ideas at the weirdest times, but when I’m writing I like it quiet. Noise distracts me, even soft music. I like to work with a clean desk, but having a home office often means I have a pile of paper or two to deal with, so I do. After all, I can’t have everything my way. Yet!
Barbara Swaffords last blog post..NBOTW – He Had Me With “Hello”
It’s a great idea to start off in the morning with some quiet time although I have found it hard to do this so far. Thoughts of the day’s to-do activities just keep popping into my head. I do most of my quiet time before I get to bed. But most definitely, I do agree with setting time aside for inspiration.
Evelyn Lims last blog post..10 Insights Into The Power Of Thoughts
@Natural: OK, I guess you’re a natural at creating
@Hi Davina: Thank you, and that is very cool. I guess either your thoughts called out to my blog or my blog called out to your thoughts
@Barbara: I think I’m going to record the noise I have around me all day long: hammering from overhead, drilling from the construction a few meters from my window, construction workers yelling out at the women who go by on the street below . . . oh, here are my headphones, thank goodness.
@Evelyn: I know what you mean about thoughts of what you have to do popping into your head. I think that comes from being extremely responsible. I am getting better at telling those thoughts that I’m going to take care of what I want to do first.
Hi Mare – this is great advice. I’ve been having sleep issues recently, but I usually make time to create by getting up between 4 and 5am. I need the absence of any distractions to get things done. And my mind feels fresher early in the morning, than late at night.
Mare – Wonderful advice. This statement caught my eyes instantly, “You can learn to turn inspiration on like a faucet by practicing your craft on a regular basis, that is, by carving time out of your schedule for the process of creation. The intent of this post is to help you do just that.”
Well done.
Shilpan | successsoul.coms last blog post..Mark Twain’s Thoughts on 3 Topics You’d Rather Not Discuss
Mare, that’s what I meant by “jobless” — not necessarily not working, just not having a 9-5. I have to think it’s easier for those people to be creative outside a corporate environment, even if they have a lot of work to do.
Come to think of it, I have no idea what you do. I think you used to be a labor union attorney or something like that. Are you now one of those self-employed contractors you’re talking about?
@Cath: Wow, you’re up at 4:00 a.m.! At that time I’m sound asleep. But I do understand your need for peace and quiet.
@Shilpan: Thank you. I guess everyone would like to be able to turn creativity on like a faucet
@Hunter: Oh, you meant “self-employed”. I’m a solo-practitioner and I have a real-estate agent license, since Panama’s going through a construction boom.
Mare, Putting effort everyday to practice craft has been one of my biggest learnings after I started blogging. Prior to that, I had always written when I was inspired. To find creativity and inspiration everyday is now becoming easy with practice. The initial process though was quite tough.
Avani-Mehtas last blog post..Decoding Anger – Anger Management Series Part I
@Avani: I agree it becomes easier with practice. You have to work the creativity muscle
Well, self-employed, or unemployed, or retired, or kids…there’s lots of interesting possibilites!
Hunter Nuttalls last blog post..Is Writing For Search Engines Killing The Web?
Some great advice there Marelisa, and I agree that if you want to reach a creative goal or fulfill your creative potential then you need to prioritize this time into your life. There’s simply no other way. You have to decide that it’s important and then MAKE the time.
I did a mentorship program to write a novel and out of 11 people I was the only one to actually finish the first draft of the novel. This is in spite of parenting a 1 year old, moving cities and moving house twice. The only difference between me and the others is I didn’t give myself excuses NOT to sit down and write. I just did it. This is what you have to do, in my opinion.
I write or research most days of the week, either for my blog, my clients, short stories or my novel. Sometimes it’s during the day when my son’s at pre-school; other times I do it late at night after the boys have all gone to bed. I’m at my most creative late so I do try to work with that. It’s hard when you resist your natural energy rhythms.
And I use a voice recorder to catch my ideas when I’m out and about or in bed. I have been known to dream an opening of a post, wake up and then record it and go back to bed. You can’t let genius go to waste now, can you!
Focus is one of my biggest weaknesses. I think think an egg timer is a great idea to keep a person on task.
All of us need to take our creative time seriously if we ever want to make real progress. We can paint or write on the side, but we will never change the world if it’s just a hobby. Then again most people don’t want to change the world, they just want to relax. So really it’s up to the individual to know their creative goals and allow them to happen.
Creativity is unlimited because it comes out of the imagination, which is infinite potential. If you desire to reach into the deepest part of who you really are, creativity is one of the best ways because creativity only lives within the infinite potential of who you really are. Every time you are expressing your creativity, you are expressing your true self, from that point, you can know, feel, and even experience parts of your infinite potential. We are here to create. Life is about creativity and nothing comes closer to personal creativity than passion.
Therefore, thank you for this article. Anything to help people express who they really are (as creative beings), is a cause that has my support and encouragement.
Have a Conscious Flexing day Marelisa,
~Nicholas Powiull @ Conscious Flex
Nicholas Powiulls last blog post..How to Experience Your Consciousness As Infinite Potential
@Kelly: It must have taken a lot of self-discipline to get that first draft of your novel done with all the other stuff you had going on. But I’m sure you got an enormous sense of accomplishment from that. And you certainly can’t let genius go to waste!
@Karl: I need to do the things I describe in my post or I lose my focus
@Nicholas: I agree we’re here to create. That’s an interesting point: when you’re creating your expressing our true self.
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