Many writers are coming off the creative high of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). But how do you boost your creativity? And how do you sustain it through the dark days of winter, the busy holiday season, and beyond? There are many articles out there about how to butt-in-chair your way through a draft. But I have a few suggestions to try when you’re not sitting at your desk.
Tip #1: Create Time
One of the best things you can do to boost your creativity is to cultivate efficiency. For me, reducing or streamlining administrative tasks increases creativity and reduces stress! Ask your teenager to help with the laundry or other household chores.
Do your social media posts for the week while waiting in line at the pharmacy. Use the crockpot during the week to make dinner prep easier. Anything you do to create more time will give you extra minutes to spend on your creative work.
Tip #2: Add a Meditation Practice to Find Flow
Whole books have been written on how to find creative flow — it’s the Holy Grail for creatives. Adding a ten-minute meditation routine to my schedule has made slipping into flow when I sit down at my desk easier. It clears the mind of distractions and worries, the two biggest flow-thiefs out there. Although many folks meditate by sitting quietly and focusing on their breath, there are many great meditation appsout there to support you as you build your meditation practice.
Tip #3: Declutter Your Writing Space
Once you’ve decluttered your mind with meditation, consider ways to declutter your physical space as well. Come up with a better system for all those random sticky notes on your desk. Get rid of the dried-out pens and highlighters that are overflowing from your pencil jar. Sort through the pile of papers, books, and unread magazines that’s been on your desk for months. Once those distractions are gone, creativity will flourish in the space that remains.
