Be Creatively Productive
For many years now, we have known the definition of productivity to be related to the strict concepts of daily routine. By the definition of bosses even, a productive employee is one who comes in at 7am in the morning and leaves at 9pm. Even the employees have started to feel that if they do not do a 9-to-5 routine, they are slacking at work.The definition of productivity was a bit different though in the older ages. Great artists did have a routine and a pattern, but it was nowhere close to the 9-to-5 we do these days.
Steps
- Set a routine. Having a routine is essential. Even Balzac saved his creative work for 1am to 8am and then attended to his social life before sleeping for 6 hours. Balzac spent most of his awake-time working. However, Flannery O’ Connor, started his day at 5am, attended church, started working at 9 before she would start painting, receive guests, take care of her birds and attend to other hobbies for the rest of the day.
- The motive is to derive a routine from your most convenient schedule and then stick to it.
- Wake up early. Some people in particular are night owls and do better work in the evening rather than in the morning. These people are advised to stick to their routine. However, most thinkers do their best early in the morning. This is because early in the morning:
- The mind is fresh and there is immediacy and momentum in thinking.
- The neural connections in the brain are sorted out during the sleep. Hence, the brain is pretty much free of stress.
- There is no one around if you get up super early. You can have all the view to yourself at this time.
- Workout regularly. Working out does not mean starting to pump yourself up and build muscle like Arnold Schwarzenegger. But working out regularly actually implies doing a bit of exercise daily so that the mind remains fresh and active. In addition, the workout would also benefit timely digestion and sleep, keeping you focused.
- Don’t make it your day job. Almost all good artists had kept their morning jobs while they practiced their creative hand as a hobby. The day job is important in keeping your life organized. It also earns you money even if your art is not appreciated by many. In addition, keeping your anger focused on the day job will also help you stay in love with your art.
- Learn to work from anywhere. To get things going in full swing, you need to learn to work from anywhere. Many artists had wacky offices, but art mostly happens wherever the artist is. The digital devices in this age make it even easier to work on the go.
