Monday, September 26, 2011

Staying Creative

It is probably one of the most talked about subject within the creative community. How do you continually come up with ideas day in and day out? It is a real challenge, especially when your lively-hood depends on it. There are many things that can help boost creativity.


Many creatives keep a full desk with knickknacks with nostalgia or interesting design qualities, and others want no distractions from keeping them from the task at hand. They treat their desks with minimalism.


Others have mood/visual boards. Literally boards with images, words, or colors to express a mood, goal, or style. This can be a great way to bring a multitude of elements together to share in a similar time or feeling.


Exercise. Newsweek had this to say:
 
"Almost every dimension of cognition improves from 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, and creativity is no exception. The type of exercise doesn't matter, and the boost lasts for at least two hours afterward. However, there's a catch: this is the case only for the physically fit. For those who rarely exercise, the fatigue from aerobic activity counteracts the short-term benefits."

Lists can be a helpful way to stay focused and organized, but lists can become overwhelming and put a damper on your creativity when it becomes too long. Keep it concise. 

Sketching or working in a different medium helps you to use different brain connections. Your work can also take a different texture than it would otherwise. Even if you are a writer: using a pen/pencil and paper creates different results than when you are exclusively using a computer. 


Take a break. I am bad at following this advice. when i am working on a project I try to sit and just pull through it, and maybe taking 15 minutes away from my work to take a walk or even sit at a new location can give a well earned break and stimulation ----> making me more productive!


Working harder and more diligently can work for short spurts, but it leads to burnout. Do you have anything you look at, do, listen, or read to help you stay creative?

1 comment:

  1. I drink a lot and marginalize women to stay on my creative toes.

    -jack kerouac

    ReplyDelete

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