For any creative work, there is a myth of inspiration that surrounds it. Many people believe that writing, painting, or otherwise creating involves simply waiting for the Muse or Inspiration or something similar to strike you, and all of a sudden you have a perfectly formed piece. Or maybe it’s not that dramatic, but a belief along the lines of “you can’t create without that moment of inspiration” persists.
But in reality? It’s simply not true.
If you only ever wrote or created when “inspiration” struck, you’d never end up finishing anything. If you really want to be a writer, it’s actually much more useful to have a routine. You may be thinking, doesn’t a routine just make you feel like you’re in a rut and boxed in? And sure, it can. But if you use routines in the right way, it can actually be a boon to your creativity.
When you should use a routine
1. In your creative life
Creativity is more about training your brain to show up for work rather than waiting for inspiration to 
strike. Sitting down regularly and writing something, even if it feels like garbage, is a far superior method than not writing anything until you feel inspired. This is the first way routines can be useful: having a regular creativity time. It doesn’t have to be writing (although, if you want to be a writer, most of these sessions should be focused on writing). But just having a time every day when you create something–whether it’s doodling, photography, or working on a longer-term project–trains your brain to be in the habit of being ready to create, every day, regardless of what else is going on. Experiment with different times of the day. Are you more productive in the morning before everyone else is up? Or maybe in the evening when things have settled down? Or maybe it just depends on the day. Try to pick a regular time to write, but allow yourself flexibility in the when. The focus should be on consistency.
I’ve already written about the importance of writing regularly, but what about those times when you sit down, ready to write, only to spend half an hour (or longer!) actually getting into the rhythm? Is there a way to avoid wasting that precious writing time? The answer is yes: by implementing a routine that precedes each creative time. It’s pretty much the science behind Pavlov’s dogs–having a routine before you begin your writing session jumpstarts your brain to say “Oh yes! Doing this means it’s time to write.” Maybe it’s making a cup of tea, reading a poem, or lighting a candle. I like to open each of my writing sessions with a prayer. I recommend also having a regular “spot” that you use for writing that is away from easy distractions and can signal to your brain that it’s time to work.
2. In your personal life
Routines can help your creativity even when they’re used in other areas of your life. This is because of a little thing called decision fatigue. When you spend all day making choices, even little ones, you end up using so much of your creative energy that it can be hard to write or create anything. Routines can help alleviate some of this decision fatigue. If you always mean to connect more with friends, decide that each morning you’ll text a different friend to see how they’re doing, or each week you’ll set aside Thursday lunches to try and catch up with a friend. When you make decisions like these ahead of time, it relieves stress and gives you more mental space to focus on creating.
When not to use routines
1. When you get into a rut
I know, earlier I said that routines don’t equal ruts. And they don’t have to! But, yes, sometimes they can. If your routine, whether in your creative or personal life, suddenly stops giving you creativity and instead leaves you feeling bored and like all your ideas have dried up, then it’s time to do something new! This could mean trying a new routine, or simply taking a break from your regular routine for a while and then coming back to it to see if it works again. Sometimes you won’t have a choice, like traveling for any reason, and it can be okay to let yourself enjoy these breaks from routine and use them as a time to recharge and mix things up.
2. When it becomes an excuse not to work
Of course, it’s nice to have your ideal creativity routine set up. Maybe you get up every morning, make a cup of coffee, and settle down at the table just beginning to be illuminated by sunlight from the window and keep writing the next Great American Novel. Which is awesome! But–don’t let that be the only time and place you can work. Because life will happen, and sometimes you’re not always going to be able to have that routine.
Here’s a weird metaphor: when you have a newborn child (or so I’m told), it’s your instinct to be very quiet after you put them to bed, and to do everything you can to avoid making noises and waking them up. But in reality, you’re just training them to only be able to sleep in complete silence. Which is all fine and good now, but eventually they’ll go to camp and college and have roommates and maybe a spouse and they may not always be able to have complete silence when they’re trying to sleep. So you’re actually doing them a disservice in the long run. What does this have to do with writing? While it’s good to know your most productive place and time to work and have a routine in place to jumpstart your brain, still try to practice working during other times and at other places and even surrounded by distractions, so that you don’t train yourself to be unable to work except for within those specific parameters.
Do you have any routines that work for you? In what areas of your life? Let me know in the comments!
Featured image by Estée Janssens
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