Even though we don’t openly admit it, we all know deep down in our hearts that the monotony of our jobs eats us up from the inside. Heads lay slumped on the table and white flags go up from every alternate office cubicle, in every industry the world’s got. Honestly, We lose our spark in the rat race; we get tired and uninspired.
But WOH. Life can’t go on like that! Life’s too amazing to feel left behind and listless. Open your eyes and discover 6 very simple tips to get your creative juices running again. We’ve got to rejuvenate every now and then if we really want to know how to live!
By Penny C
1. Quit Beating Yourself Up
As much as the idealists choose to see past the painful truth, reality speaks for itself and it’s annoyingly loud. In a society that’s advancing so rapidly, incapabilities are seldom tolerated. But things happen and human error is inevitable. If you know that no one’s going to cut you some slack, do it yourself. Blunders come in big and small sizes – but no matter what kind of blunder you make, that’s all it is – a blunder.
Creation cannot happen when self sabotaging is taking place. All that negative talk in our heads preoccupies us with thoughts that break us down. There’s no incentive, no drive and definitely very little inspiration to create something special. Are you very sure that everyone your work with is trying to bring you down the way you are? Don’t dwell in the past so much that you miss out on opportunities that are so abundant in the present.
2. Make A Pointless Rule
You read it right. Do something really stupid to add a little bit of weird into your day to flip the madness around. When you’re trying to accomplish a rule or a task that’s either unconventional or really quite useless, your imagination is being stretched. You’re allowing yourself to see things in a new light and this fresh brilliance may lead you to discover a new path along the way – a path that you never thought you’d ever set foot upon. Limits create focus and limits change your perspectives.
Try these rules:
- Eat only vegetables for 2 days.
- End every sentence without using words that begin with a vowel.
- Wear your watch on your other wrist.
- Say only good things.
- Walk only on grey tiles, not white ones.
- Stay away from the photocopier for the entire day.
- Use an orange pen.
- Don’t open the refrigerator. Look elsewhere for food when your stomach’s calling.
3. Take A Break
YES! Another reason to walk away from your current activity and do something entirely unrelated – provided you’re not a tight deadline. Routine can make things dull so give your mind something new to look forward to even if it’s only for a few minutes. Add your preferred breaks to our suggested list!
4. Believe That You’re Creative
Hey, it’s 2010 and while everybody’s into photography, everyone else is dabbling in other creative mediums pertaining to the Arts. But before we assume that those DSLR hobbyists and self confessed songwriting, guitar totting teens are a bunch of wannabes, think again. These are the people branching away from the stifling norms and searching for a creative outlet. We cannot fault them for an attempt at injecting creativity into their lives because frankly, they’re the ones who believe that they can be creative while the rest of us are sitting at our cubicles or study tables, eyes shut but with minds awake and set on achieving corporate/academic objectives.
Those individuals are the ones picking up new hobbies and learning new skills. They’re doing the things most of us are afraid of even trying for fear of embarrassment or appearing “fake” or “artsy”. It’s not about how you look when you’re beginning to accomplish something creative, it’s about how you feel and the underlying satisfaction you get from trying.
5. Count Your Blessings
Count your blessings and look at the good things that are happening to you! There’s lots of negativity going on in the world and we don’t need anymore sadness to way us down. So focus on yourself and look for good things! Don’t forget the small things too because nothing’s too minor to be considered a blessing.
Someone offered you a lift? That’s a blessing. Someone gave way to you during peak hours traffic? That’s a blessing too! You helped a stranger who needed small change for his bus fare? You’re a blessing. When you feel good, you’ll be inspired to do good – and that includes getting creative for personal recreation too!
6. Tidy Up!
Based on past and very messy experiences, cleaning seriously helps. Just like short breaks that recharge you, throwing stuff out and rearranging your usual workspace is a healthy task for both mind and spirit. The physicality of the activity signals to your brain that you’re bent on de-cluttering your life, cleaning up the mess and putting things back in order.
Whether your workspace is in the kitchen, the office or at the supermarket cash counter, keep it neat. If you work at a chaotic desk for too long, it’ll make you feel fuzzy and too distracted to be productive. So clean up and you’ll find a purpose, at least one that will keep you on track for the rest of the day!
Images from We Heart It
I LOVE every single one of these. I have found myself easy to caught up with the negatives lately. I have NEVER been a negative person until I moved to southern CA & drive around A LOT! lol. I am going to record these & listen to myself reading these reminders while I drive! Thanks so very much for the great inspiration to remember to “not sweat the small stuff”. (;