iWish Wednesdays: 01.04.09 - Keeping Creatively Motivated

Slight variation on the iWish theme today - moving away from being materialistic and being a bit more introspective. I wish I was more motivated lately. So at the risk of sounding like a bit of a basket-case I want to explore some strategies to help, since I surely can't be the only one out there with this problem...

We all have stress in our lives, some of us handle it exceptionally well (rare), others not so well, and others again tend to create their own stress (ah...me). Too much for too long and you make yourself sick. Getting to the root of the problem - why something stresses you out - will help you cope in the long run.

I've been planning my first collection of t-shirt designs lately. It's been stressful because I am on my own with it - I have the not so enviable position of having too many ideas that I can't seem to narrow in and focus. On top of that I'm working on other various bits and pieces and trying to bring in some sort of an income. Which has landed me with the flu. Again.

Being sick makes it harder to get up in the mornings - especially when it's stress related. You just want to burrown under your bedsheets and hide away from the world. The sound of your alarm clock fills you with dread. You end up staring at the wall in front of you at your desk wondering how to start. Everything is an effort. Trying to be creative in that atmosphere is asking for miracles really.

So! What can we do to climb out of the slump, be motivated and creative, and healthy? There are plenty of ways to get started - and plenty of avenues to get help and advice. But let me preface this by pointing out that until you want to make a change, you'll just end up going round in circles. We all know about setting goals, getting a friend to join you, and all the other usual bits of advice. But how do you push through that and keep going? I've scoured the net for some helpful advice, and thrown in some of my own for good measure. So here we go:

1. Baby steps - it's easy to cook up grand ideas of your final goal but it only puts unnecessary pressure on yourself. If your idea is so big that you can't even get started then you need to drastically downsize. The smaller the better - even if it seems ridiculous.
   
2. Work up - build on those baby steps at your own pace. If it takes you a week to do a sketch, then it takes you a week. That's a lot faster than if you stayed in bed for a month without even trying. Step it up in small increments and reward yourself when you improve.
3. Ebb and flow - so you were doing great and then it all disappeared? Hell, that's normal. Ask anyone if they could be creative on demand day in and day out and they'll likely say no. So why should you? If it's gone, it's gone. Just keep thinking about it, trying to get back there in small steps, keep your mind open and know that it will return eventually.
   
4. Negative thoughts - it's all in your head. Seriously. The way you think is the main force influencing your behaviour and attitidue. Spin negative thoughts on their head and give yourself a break. The more you do it the more effective it is.
5. A little TLC - look after yourself. No one else will! Besides giving yourself a break mentally, make sure you're staying healthy. Nothing drastic, just common sense. Go for a walk, drink herbal teas, have a big healthy lunch, treat yourself to a massage. You don't need to be marathon runner on a no-fat-no-salt-no-sugar-vegan diet to be your best. Find what works for you.

[Sources: Get Off Your Butt: 16 Ways to Get Motivated When You're in a Slump | Zen Habits; How to Boost Your Creativity with 5 New Self-Care Techniques]

Some tried and true ways of my own:

• Journal - carrying a notepads, journal, moleskine in you bag. Stick receipts, flyers, pictures, notes in there along with any ideas, sketches and doodles.
  
• Brainstorming - when I have a heap of ideas I pick the central theme and write out all my ideas, associations, solutions branching out from there. Always works.
  
• Inspiration - I have folders on my desktop for images I find inspiring, broken down into art, design, fashion etc. I love to use Adobe Bridge to sift through them and create contact pages to print out later. I've read of one designer who divides into folders by site names, so he can track who created images and credit them if he uses them later. I also cut out pages from magazines and keep flyers and post them on my pinboard.
  
• Clutter free desk - I try to keep my desk relatively organised so I can find everything and don't get overwhelmed looking at a pile of junk sitting on top. Too easy to fob it off when you can even sit down - don't give yourself the excuse.
• Change - a change is as good as a holiday. I frequently move my furniture around every 3 months or so and change my inspiration board. Breathing new life into your workspace is heaven sent. I also try to go to usual places by different routes, or trying new places to visit - all these changes jump start your brain and you notice things.
• Get a massage - there are plenty of places to get a massage without breaking the bank. I'm rather partial to the chinese medicine and acupuncture clinics. They're usually very reasonably priced and you can get a bloody good neck, shoulder and back massage. Beauty salons with remedial masseuses are the best - but it costs you. And I'm not too keen on the idea of getting a massage in the main thoroughfare of the shopping mall - weird. I carry all my stress in my neck and shoulders, so a 1/2 hour strong massage makes me feel ten times better. I never thought it would, but it does.
  
• Think outside the box - I'm an avid reader, and I also love film, theatre, concerts and gigs, exhibitions, markets...get out and broaden your horizons. It will inspire you. And it will give you something to talk about other that your work. People like that.
• Listen to music - upbeat music does wonders. It will lift your mood - so it's a great way to start your day. If you feel inclined to sing in front of the mirror with your hairbrush, go for it.
• Keep in touch - if you're a freelancer make sure you make time to catch up with friends. There's nothing worse than being in your own company for too long and becoming boring.
• Don't watch tv all day! - you'll see your brain oozing out your nose. I don't tend to watch too much telly, I have a few favorite shows but I'm not worried if I miss them.

So why am I bogged down with the flu and feeling unmotivated if I know all these pearls of wisdom? Well, I put it down to ebb and flow. Just waiting for my mojo to come back...

J xx