Having the energy when you need it most.
pexels-rakicevic-nenad-1262304
Creativity can be a chore.
Most think of it as an unlimited freedom that only some people have.
But that isn’t the case at all.
In fact, every day even the most creative people have a capped bottle on their creativity; it’s finite.
How do I know? Because energy itself is finite, and creativity takes energy.
However, it doesn’t have to just run out when you want it to.
This is where we plan around when we’re most creative.
Context Switching kills those juices
In most of our lives, we deal with people.
Yes — those individuals who knock at the door, and come right in when we’re in the middle of our thoughts.
In turn, making us lose our thoughts.
And what do you know? Our energy we were once were able to expend on this super-cool creative activity has gone out the window!
Why?
Well, because Marly here decided to take up 5 minutes talking about her new boyfriend and you just had to hear it all while planning how to get out of it.
This little “interruption” is called context-switching.
Ah yes, the death to creativity.
Since all the activities we do takes energy, it’s vital to have a way to manage our routine around that finite energy supply.
This can be done by getting your ideas when you have a quiet moment — like in the mornings.
Or getting all your creative work at the end of the day — in the shadows of your computer.
Each of us are wired a little differently, so whatever time is best for you!
The thing to keep in mind though, is to minimize context-switching.
Because it’ll never be fully taken out.
Things unexpected happen.
They take us out of our creative zone,
leaving us with a half-thought written on a page,
yet-Â we can still get back into it after.
But I completely lost my thought?
How am I going to get it back???
Simple:
- Look at your brainstormed thoughts
- Imagine what you were doing last (sipping coffee?)
- Do some daydreaming, what does this project/piece look like in your mind?
If none of these work, then we need to talk ASAP.
If you’re still having trouble with minimizing context-switching though,
here’s what Thomas Frank shares in his newsletter:
Log out of social media apps when you need to do deep work. Take note of the ones that tempt you the most. For me, it’s Twitter — so I need to be logged out when I’m committed to a task.
Close communication tools when you’re working. Don’t set yourself up for failure by allowing notifications and messages to grab your attention so easily.
Put your phone on Do Not Disturb mode. iOS now has handy options for turning of Do Not Disturb for a set time, like an hour. This is perfect for deep work sessions.
4.Batch small tasks, like answering Slack messages and emails. If you can do these all in one big batch, you’ll free up huge blocks of time for deep work.
And lastly, picture someone you really admire & appreciate their example, and “let that inspire you to work with more focus.”
Creativity isn’t found,
we all have it.
You just need to get the juices flowing in one way or another to make it happen.
By planning when you’re most creative around at the right times, you can help keep that thought & stay creative when you need it most.
Stay energized, guys.
Have a great day ⚡