Many things prevent us from being creative. Here are a few, with suggestions for overcoming them.
Time. We all lead busy lives, but if creativity is a priority you can find time for it. Wake up a few minutes early, watch less TV, or do it while you watch TV. Give up time spent on other things, or incorporate creativity WITH those things. I sometimes sketch while having my morning coffee and waiting to drive the kids to school.
Skill Level. There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of a project and feeling like you lack the skills to finish. I recommend pausing your project and using the available online resources. A quick YouTube video, followed by a practice session, can get you back on track.
Confidence. You may think it’s not worth it to spend your time on creativity because only the “talented” should spend time being creative. Should only yogis bother doing yoga, or olympic runners spend time running? There are benefits to creativity at every level!
Motivation. Wanting to be creative and actually doing it are not the same thing. Find ways to motivate yourself. Work on things that excite you. Participate in challenges. Create schedules and deadlines. Break down bigger projects into small tasks and assign a due date to each task.
Procrastination. I can spend hours planning in my notebook the creative projects I’m going to do, or next steps with current projects. The longer I procrastinate, the harder it is to break out of it and actually create. I take advantage of breaks in my day to change gears and stop procrastinating.
Distraction. There is so much distracting us. Set a daily reminder on your phone. “Were you creative today?” My reminder goes off at noon and reads, “Did you draw today?” It reminds me of what I want to do.
Focus. Have too many ideas and can’t focus on one? Try my Creative Ideas Worksheet. It will help you prioritize, focus, and finally make progress with your creative projects!
What hurdles get in the way of your creativity? I’d love to hear!
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I’m struggling at the moment. I’ve made a change of direction in my creative endeavours, recently giving up the cardmaking which focussed mainly on stamping and colouring etc. I want to paint and to draw the things around me and of course my skill level is not as high as I would like. I save things on Pinterest to practice drawing and also took a few classes but that didn’t really work out for me. I am retired so time is not really an issue, but motivation is. I am also mindful that it is easy to while away the time sketching and drawing and forgetting the other important stuff like getting outside to walk and exercise. I suppose I am just talking about life really, there is always something to be done when one is a homeowner and there is the garden too. Where there is a will, there is a way, so I keep going because I want to improve. Thank you for this post, it has me thinking.
Barbara, Thanks for your response. When I can, I sketch first thing in the morning before the other stuff gets in the way. It’s such a great way to start the day and if there is time later I’ll go back to it. Walks are a great way to find inspiration. Bring your phone and take photos of things to draw later. Your skills will definitely improve with practice and it’s such a relaxing thing to do. I have to admit I paint and draw before housekeeping stuff. 😊
Like you Eileen, I sketch first thing in the morning with my coffee. I’m at my most creative time then.
I love mornings. It’s the best time for me. Starts the day on the right foot. Hope you are enjoying your day Sharon. 🙂
All great suggestions, Eileen! I go through ebbs and flows with creativity time, but when it is abundant, I feel so fulfilled. I’m saving your list for when I have a shortage of time. Thanks!
Thanks Carol, I hope they prove to be helpful! I think we all go through ebbs and flows. I try to keep something going during the low times so I’m ready to rebound when the productive time comes back around again.
I agree with this. Especially the confidence and motivation points! I’m not a professional artist, but painting is a hobby I enjoy – and I want to excel in it too. It’s quite difficult since the process of painting isn’t easy. Drawing is also difficult for me. Most of all, it’s really persistence and practice that others and myself need to improve.
Thanks Shanice, so glad to get your input! We really have to be stubborn about it and keep at. It’s not always easy. It’s easy to get discouraged. I find the more I do, the more motivated I am to do more.