You Can’t Force Creativity: Know When to Work and When to Stop
You can’t force creativity! When it comes to creativity, there are many courses and books written about it, but you don’t necessarily have to take a course or buy self-help books. Those aren’t bad things, but creativity is a very individual experience. It’s something you can effectively develop and practice on your own. Just like the other muscles in your body, your brain is a muscle that needs to be worked too. There are many different things you can do to get your creative juices flowing, but here is one of the most important things to keep in mind…know when to stop working!
Here’s an example: imagine you’re working on a project that requires quite a good deal of creativity. Maybe you’re writing an ebook or a series of blog posts, or maybe you’re designing a new website. With the deadline looming, you may think you have to keep working, keeping your head down and just powering through it to get it all done. That’s how many of us tackle projects, but it may actually be the worst strategy for you when it comes to creative work. Let’s face it, if you’re not feeling creative you’re going to end up staring at a blank page, and that will only stress you out even more. Forcing creativity rarely works.
Instead, learn to recognize the signals that it might be time to stop work for the day or at least to take a break. As mentioned previously, if you’re not feeling creative, it’s not something you can just force. You have to learn to listen to your intuition; if you’re feeling stuck, take a break and walk away for a bit. In fact, you may even find it’s during that break that your creativity starts flowing and you come up with a great new idea for that project. I find when I’m drawing a blank on what to do or write next, getting up and leaving my work area is a great way to let my mind take over and just wander with my thoughts. For me, taking a drive or going for a walk seems to free my mind to wander; often times what I’ve been struggling with becomes crystal clear and I can go back and get my work done. Remember it can also work the other way too. If your intuition is telling you you’re about to have a breakthrough and come up with the creative inspiration you need to finish the project, by all means, stick with it and continue working.
What if you don’t have a project with a deadline? Maybe you just want to develop your creative side. The same rules apply. Remember, you cannot force yourself to get the creative juices flowing. If you’ve been staring at a blank document on your computer monitor for 30 minutes, chances are you need to get up and walk away. Later you can come back and take a few minutes to just start writing and see what happens. Sometimes that can do the trick and trigger your creativity. You know yourself best, so learn to listen to your intuition and work with yourself instead of against yourself.
While you can practice and develop your creativity and you can actually train yourself to be creative on demand, part of that training is learning when to step away. By listening to that inner voice and recognizing the signs that you may be stuck, you’ll find it much easier to produce creative work. Remember…you can’t force creativity!
Be Your Best You!
Cheryl A Major
I’m author, podcast and TV host Cheryl A Major, and I would love to connect further to help you to achieve your health and wellness goals, both mental and physical. Click here to download your free report on How to Eat to Defy Aging.
