3 (Secretly Lazy) Tips for Being Creative

Especially When It's Cold and Dark And You're Tired

I was invited to be a guest artist at a private event for William Jewell College this past Saturday. The event was a celebration of the ways that creativity influences our lives and the importance of cultivating creative thinking.

Here are some of the most impactful points I took away from our conversation.

1. Introduce new things to your routine

I am a creature of habit, which makes it easy to get caught up doing the same things all the time. However, that can be a buzzkill as far as creativity goes. Make sure you make time for new experiences regularly. Whether that’s just driving a different route home or choosing to watch a new show instead of a comfort show.

Even shaking up your routine in a small way can open the door to a new thought or experience, helping you think differently about the world.

Why this is a Lazy Hack: If you’re already going to watch Netflix, just watch something new! Worst case, you hate it and can go back to your comfort show anyway, but best case, you have a new experience and new thoughts!

2. Make it easy to practice

Bil Brown (the visual artist at the event) made a really good point: make things easy for yourself. He suggested having the supplies you need for your creative work always accessible so you can access them immediately.

If you’re a painter, that may look like having a dedicated painting station set up so that you don’t have to drag the supplies out every time. All you have to do is sit down! Plus, having a dedicated space for your work can help train your brain to be creative when you’re in that space.

How is this one “secretly lazy?” You don’t have to put the stuff away like your mom always told you! Leave it out all the time like a happy goblin!

3. Provide scaffolding for yourself

Sort of building off the previous tip, provide the support you need to spend time creatively. For me, the support I need has often looked like blocking off a specific time in my calendar and treating it like an appointment.

Sometimes the hardest part is showing up for your work. Even if you don’t create anything the first time or two, by making yourself sit down to be creative, you give yourself the opportunity to see what happens.

The second part of this tip is that I usually make sure I have something specific to work on during my creative appointment.

November is normally a time when I’m usually doing daily writing to generate new material. To make it easier on myself, I’ve been doing some prep by collecting prompts the last few weeks (when I was feeling more energized) to specifically work on each day. By having those at the ready I somewhat avoid being undone by the terror/anxiety/void of the blank page.

Ok, ok, overall this third tip might be the least “lazy” of the 3. However, think about it - all you really have to do is sit down and make something. It doesn’t even have to be good.

That’s All For Now

I know that sometimes as we get towards the end of the year, the grind + the existential dread + this special edition election season + darker/shorter days can make it particularly hard to feel creative. Or, to quote the bard Modest Mouse, “I know this of myself, I assume as much for other people.” So I just wanted to share a few tips that might help you out, if you’re so inclined.

Remember, being creative is not just about producing “art” “professionally” it’s the special sauce that makes living feel good. You’re being creative when you cook, when you decide how to hang your seasonal decorations, or when you craft that perfectly worded roast text to your coworkers on the way to meet them at the seasonal pop-up bar. Embrace creativity in all its forms!

How are you going to feed your creativity this season?