Creativity is a valuable skill that can help you solve problems, generate new ideas, and express yourself. However, creativity can also be elusive and unpredictable, especially when you are under time pressure or have too many distractions. How can you manage your time to boost your creativity and make the most of your potential? Here are some tips to help you.
Before you start working on a creative project, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve, why, and how. Setting SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) can help you focus your attention, plan your actions, and track your progress. Having clear goals can also motivate you to overcome challenges and celebrate your achievements.
Although I am managing a team of appx 1500 life insurance professionals I find myself always easy with a lot of time in hands. I get up early at 5 am give 90 minutes time to my soul, mind & body. This enables to be energetic & calm in every situation. I never keep any of my tasks pending. I always try to finish it as early as possible & keep the stakeholders posting along with. I mostly prefer written communications may it be email or WhatsApp which gets me perfect reply & helps me in strong follow ups. Capability building of my team members is one of my favourite tasks. I run "Punit ki Pathshala", both digital & physical, quiet often. I am always easy.
By starting with a unified goal, it helps to then build ideas that will help achieve the goal. In my experience from there you are able to build out the project and/or change plan with measurable deliverables that will show the pathway to how to clearly achieve the goal. I like to embed gate checks throughout my plan so I am able to go back as a review to ensure the tasks that are being done and are forthcoming still align to the overall objective.
Creativity is not something that you can force or turn on and off at will. It depends on your mood, energy, environment, and inspiration. However, you can create favorable conditions for your creativity by scheduling your creative time when you are most alert, curious, and relaxed. For some people, this might be in the morning, for others, in the evening. Experiment with different times and see what works best for you.
I have found incredible value by identifying the time of the day which creativity spikes. It allows me to organized my work in a way that feels productive and valuable.
Distractions are the enemies of creativity. They can interrupt your flow, break your concentration, and reduce your quality of work. To avoid distractions, you need to create a quiet, comfortable, and clutter-free space where you can work on your creative project without interruptions. You also need to turn off or mute your phone, email, social media, and other notifications that might tempt you to check them. If possible, inform your colleagues, family, or friends that you are working on something important and ask them not to disturb you.
Working on a creative project for too long can lead to mental fatigue, boredom, and frustration. To prevent this, you need to take regular breaks to refresh your mind, body, and spirit. Breaks can help you recharge your energy, reduce stress, and stimulate new ideas. You can use your breaks to do something different, such as stretching, walking, meditating, listening to music, or reading. However, avoid activities that are too engaging or distracting, such as watching TV, playing games, or browsing the internet.
Feedback is essential for improving your creativity and learning from your mistakes. Feedback can help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It can also inspire you to try new approaches, perspectives, or techniques. However, not all feedback is helpful or constructive. You need to seek feedback from people who are knowledgeable, supportive, and honest. You also need to be open-minded, respectful, and grateful for the feedback you receive.
Creativity is hard work and it deserves recognition and reward. Rewarding yourself for your creative efforts can boost your self-esteem, confidence, and satisfaction. It can also encourage you to keep working on your creative project and achieve your goals. You can reward yourself in different ways, such as treating yourself to something you enjoy, sharing your work with others, or celebrating your milestones. However, avoid rewards that are counterproductive or harmful, such as procrastinating, overeating, or overspending.
Sometimes the best way to jumpstart one's creativity is boredom. You don't have to fill every single moment of your calendar if activity. While boredom isn't exciting or glamorous, it does allow you the time and space to unwind and come up with different solutions or approaches.