How To Fuel Your Creativity In A Busy Life
Keep your creative spark alive in this rat-race, from a *busy* person’s perspective.
“You never seem to have enough time to breathe.”
These words have been spoken in several conversations I have had with friends and family over the last 3 years. As a full-time corporate employee and a student pursuing a highly sought-after professional course who also runs a weekly newsletter on the side, and also has a life outside of it, I don’t blame them for saying this.
Most of us are always busy unless we consciously choose to slow down (it’s something I am working on improving this year). For me, busyness in this season is defined by multitasking at work and the overly technical concepts of my exam that occupy my mind. For you, it may be something else.
“Does writing a weekly newsletter feel like an added pressure in an already stressful life?”
Alongside my full-fledged 9-6 corporate job, I am almost always studying for one (sometimes two) actuarial exams. Like every other human, I tend to slip into autopilot mode in the busy seasons of my life. But I have contemplated a lot on the above question, and every time the answer is - No.
That is because I finally realised that writing is my creative expression.
Creativity is like the cold breeze you feel on your face when you step outside the cosiness of your house after a really long time. It feels uncomfortable to get used to because you have spent way too long in the warmth of your comfort zone. But it’s magical once you get a hang of it. You can almost feel how it brings joy and energy to every inch of your body.
Psychologists believe that making creativity a habit can help boost your productivity.
How to keep your creative spark alive when your mind is occupied by a never-ending checklist?
Here are some ways I have managed to not let the creative spark in me die, especially in seasons of life that have been extremely busy.
I hope these practices can prevent you from slipping into burnout from the constant stress that busy seasons bring and help you to keep the outlet of your creative expression open.
SAY GOODBYE TO THE RAT-RACE
If you haven’t already, I suggest you say goodbye to chasing what everyone else seems to be chasing. We think that being a part of a herd guarantees success, but it doesn’t.
My experience has taught me that choosing to control my speed on the road that I choose for myself frees up so much mental clutter and ends up saving so much of my time. I was knee-deep in competition throughout my school and college life. Eventually, I realised that I needed to utilise my time better to make my own little space in this world by opening doors for creative expression, especially through this newsletter.
While this may seem like an obvious suggestion, I can assure you that it works wonders in boosting your creativity. It leaves you with much more time and energy to focus on the positives if you wish to.
PAY ATTENTION TO THE NON-MONETARY ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE
This idea is something I live by, especially during busy seasons.
Writing these newsletters is one form of creative expression for me. But behind the words you read is a person who spends whatever rest time she gets reading, making puzzles, writing in her journal, and of course, dancing in her room.
Focus on areas of your life that you do not intend to transform into a source of income. What is something you loved doing but decided to let go of because life got too overwhelming too soon? What is a hobby you wish you pursued all these years?
These little activities will help you think outside the box. If you choose to make time (even 15 minutes would suffice) for these little things, no matter how busy the season is, you will never feel like you are living the same boring day over and over again.
When you break free from that autopilot lifestyle, creativity flows.
FALL IN LOVE WITH SOLITUDE
Sharing this planet with more than eight billion people means that there is a high chance of you being surrounded by constant chatter, both inside and outside of you.
If you really want to keep the creative spark in you alive, my advice is to reconnect with solitude amidst this chaos. Spending even five minutes of your day in silence allows you to just BE. It lets your mind wander to places you didn’t know you were capable of reaching.
I spend the first five waking moments of my day just breathing, followed by making my bed. I try(and fail many times, which is perfectly okay!) to have a few minutes during the day just to myself, to read, to sit and think. I think about anything and everything and end up discovering what I want to talk about in my newsletter next week. I invite imagination and creativity into my life by slowing down to be present, and you can too.
I’m curious: What practices have you adopted/plan to adopt to keep the creative spark in you alive? Comment below. Let’s share our wisdom and learn from each other.
THIS WEEK’s RECOMMENDATIONS
It’s Jan 25th and I am still easing into 2024 by
. A must read if you feel like you are falling behind since 2024 started.- . If you think you are always running but it’s never enough.
When to quit by
. Normalising the idea that quitting does not equate to failing.How I Grew My Substack From 439 to 451 Subscribers In Just 11 Months by
Hands down the best thing I read this week. Dive in if you need a good laugh!
I enjoyed the read; keeping our creative juices flowing is hard task, balancing between our busy schedule and finding time to think is really tough. Worthy read 📚
Absolutely love that bit about giving importance to the non-monetary aspects of life. I remember sacrificing the things I loved and enjoyed doing simply because I felt I was "busy." But part of living an intentional life is being clear about what I want to be doing, and being deliberate about that choice. These days, I find myself sparking my creativity when I allow my body to move, like when I walk and observe my surroundings. It also helps to take care of my body because it influences the state of my mind. That's why lately I've been particular about sleep and sunlught exposure lately.