Hidden Factors That Influence Your Creative Energy | ProductiveandFree

Hitting a wave of creative inspiration can be deeply fulfilling. It’s easy to work when you’re in the flow state, and you’re likely to produce your best work when you feel moved by your creative purpose. In the words of Virginia Woolf, finding your “creative power” can “at once bring the whole universe to order.”

However, rediscovering your creative streak after a period of stagnation can be hard. The blank page can feel imposing when you first sit down to write, and you may feel so disconnected from your artistic projects that you fail to apply even a single brush stroke to your paintings.

Overcoming creative blocks usually involves hard work, persistence, and continued dedication to your craft — even when you don’t want to work. However, if you are in a rut for a prolonged period of time, you may want to consider utilizing the unusual habits of highly productive people to rediscover your creative spirit. Always make sure to plan, prioritize, and ask questions.

Environmental Factors

There’s no blueprint to success when trying to tap into your creative potential. However, most creative people do assert control over the environment where they produce their work. Poet Maya Angelou rented a blank hotel room to write in, while screenwriter Dalton Trumbo produced his best work while writing in the bathtub. You probably don’t have to take your laptop into the tub to find your creative energy, but you should experiment with the room you usually work in.

Start by altering the lighting in your space. You can use lighting to stimulate creativity by switching to dim lighting when searching for inspiration. Low lighting can help you enter a more meditative state to find the right creative frequency. Alternatively, if you are clear about what must be done and simply need to focus, consider opting for bulbs that emit natural light. Natural light increases your clarity of thought and can help you focus on a project for a sustained period. You can further refine your creative space by:

● Finding a desk and chair that suits your style and supports your posture;

● Using a room divider if you share the space with others to cut out distractions;

● Move your desk to a new position to reset your mental state;

● Use noise-cancelling headphones to cut out any background noise.

These steps can enhance your creativity and help you focus after a stressful day at work. However, you’ll need to follow up with a few lifestyle changes that can boost your energy and help you feel mentally fresh when you sit down to the keyboard, sketchpad, or pottery wheel.

Low Energy Lifestyle

If you’re passionate about your craft, you may be frustrated to find yourself low on energy when it's time to start working. However, this is a common experience for many creative folks who are forced to find time for photography, poetry, or painting after work. It’s only natural to feel tired if you’ve been stressed all day and haven’t been able to take care of your health and well-being due to work commitments. Other reasons you feel tired all the time may include:

● Sleep apnea;

● Insufficient or poor-quality sleep;

● Iron deficiency;

● Dehydration;

● Poor diet;

● Vitamin D deficiency.

Addressing these issues requires an overhaul of your lifestyle. However, investing in your health and wellness is sure to boost your creative energy and will help you rediscover your passion for your craft. For example, if you’ve noticed that you’re struggling to drift off, you may want to make some changes to your bedtime routine. Cutting out blue light and reducing the temperature can significantly improve your odds of getting a good night’s sleep and will ensure you feel rested and ready to take on your next creative project.

Finding Inspiration

Most people mistakenly believe that inspiration comes from some internal well of creative energy. While this may be true for some, the reality is that most people need to actively find inspiration rather than wait for it to come to them. This is why author Stephen King reads over 100 novels a year while highly productive musicians like Ed Sheeran regularly collaborate with singers like Shakira and Rhianna.

You don’t need to find inspiration from your medium, either. For example, if you’re an author, consider taking a trip to a local art gallery or botanical garden. Pay attention to the themes that artists and gardeners are exploring, and consider creating a short piece based on what you find. Similarly, if you’re an artist, you may find fresh inspiration in the form of a paragraph of lyrical prose or a stanza of meaningful poetry.

If you’re still struggling to find inspiration, consider copying artists that you aspire to be like. While copied work isn’t publishable, it can give you a creative jumping-off point. For example, if you aspire to write more lyrical prose, consider copying down the first few lines of work like Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ One Hundred Years of Solitude and imagine how you would continue to the story from that point. This needn’t be perfect, but it could give you the creative spark you need.

Alternatively, if you’re working on a business project, consider focusing your creative energy by highlighting things that have worked in the past. Leaning on past success is crucial, as you don’t need to recreate the wheel before every product launch. Instead, focus on your audience and draw inspiration from similar creative businesses that have found success in your industry.

Conclusion

Tapping into your creative energy can be tricky if you’ve been in a rut for some time. Rather than waiting for inspiration to come, consider making some changes to your environment and lifestyle to promote creativity. This may mean you need to actively search for inspiration when away from your work, as well-written poetry or avante guard art is sure to inspire you to take a new direction in your work. Just be sure to make time for health and wellness, too, as failing to care for yourself will only lead to burnout and frustration.

Katie Brenneman

Katie is a passionate writer specializing in time management, marketing, and education-related content. When she isn't writing, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or hiking with her dog, Charlie. To connect with Katie, you can follow her on Twitter.