We’re roughly a month into quarantine in the U.S., give or take a week depending on which state you live in. Besides the expected stress of dealing with a global pandemic (did I really just write that sentence?), for creatives there’s an added pressure that we need to be using all of this time to be, well, creative. Writing or painting or designing or whatever our “thing” is—why aren’t we doing more of it?
It’s the understatement of the decade to say this is a weird time right now, and that means that creating right now is also a bit weird. To help you navigate it, here are some tips for creating when the world seems to be crumbling around you.
It’s okay to take a break
If you only take away one thing from this post, I hope it’s this: it’s okay to take a break. Anybody who says that you should be more creative or productive during this time is an idiot, okay? Just take a deep breath. Forget the dumb stories about Shakespeare writing King Lear during the plague—that was a completely different time and situation than we’re in. Just because your calendar isn’t as filled (which I actually think isn’t true for many of us anyways) doesn’t mean that it’s free time—we’re being bombarded with news, anxiety is ever-present, and we’re constantly thinking about the health and safety of ourselves and those around us. Even during regular times it’s important to practice self-forgiveness but it’s crucial now more than ever.
You don’t need to be productive
What if you feel like being creative, especially if that helps you process everything going on right now, but you aren’t able to write the next Great American Novel about These Trying Times? That’s 100% normal. Great art will certainly come out of this period, but I guarantee it’s not being made right now. Things being created right now are reactionary; most of the good stuff about this time will be created after some time to reflect on this experience.
So don’t pressure yourself to be producing Great Work during this time. If you want to be creative, give yourself some freedom to make whatever you want. Make bad art. Try a different type of creativity, even if it’s something like a coloring book, because you never know what it will unlock. If you don’t want to decide what to make, follow some prompts.
If you want to make something about what you’re going through, try just journaling your thoughts and feelings to capture those emotions. You can always come return to it later to sort out what is usable for a project.
Use this time to refill your well
A healthy creative life isn’t about making things all the time—you also need to refill that creative well that you are drawing from when you’re making. What better time to refill your well than when your choices for entertainment are limited to consuming content or taking a walk outdoors?
For one thing, allow yourself to be bored. That’s a crucial but often-ignored part of creativity, so don’t be afraid to stare out the window for a bit. Watch good (or, heck, even bad) TV or movies. Go for a walk—it’s good to get out of your house, and being in nature is a proven boon to creativity. Maybe even read some poetry if you’re feeling experimental!
Settle in for a long haul
An important note is that we’re going to be in this for a while. At least another month, but likely longer. You may think you believe that, but examine yourself and your habits—are you in denial? Is there a part of you that still believes next week you’ll be back at the coffee shop writing again? If so, you may need to rethink how you’re working. Routines are a great way to signal to your brain that it’s time to work but right now many parts of your routine may be disrupted, and we can’t count on them being back to normal anytime soon. So figure out how to make a new routine, or tweak your current one to work from home.
It’s also more crucial to be mindful right now. Pay attention to what your creativity and your mind are telling you they need. Do you want to work on the same project you’ve been doing? Do you want a new project? Do you just need to sit and binge Tiger King all day? I’ve noticed that my preferences for when I want music, a podcast, or silence in the background have shifted—I’m craving more noise in the background now than I normally do, but there are also times when I just need to let my mind rest from constant input. Tune into yourself, and don’t force anything that doesn’t feel right.
How do you want to look back on this time?
Ultimately, this will end. We’ll come out on the other side. When you look back on this time, though, how do you want to be different? Do you want to have learned a new skill? Do you want to have filled your creative well with new and different sources? Take some time to reflect on what you want your priorities to be during this time. Again don’t let external pressures determine them—you shouldn’t make “write a book” a goal just because everyone keeps tweeting about all the work they’re getting done. Remember to be mindful of what feels right, and also conscious of what your situation allows; if you’re taking care of kids or aging parents or still going into an essential job, you may be even busier than normal. Whatever your situation is, choose your priorities (which, again, might be caring for family or just surviving your job), and center yourself around them. Be sure to regularly check in with yourself as well, to see if your priorities shift during this time.
What are you working on during this time? Have you found a new rhythm? Let me know in the comments?
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Featured image by Georgia de Lotz