Ever get into one of those creative ruts where nothing you do fails to inspire you? Your routine was no different from the past and yet for some reason, it takes every last drop of effort towards squeeze enough motivatation to your fingertips to finish the project at hand. Even your favorite tunes or yelling at yourself fail to get those juices flowing. You look around, your office is the same, your computer and peripherals haven't been moved out of order and even the light's wattage is unchanged. Everything is the same as it's always been...and perhaps that is part of the problem.
I've arrived at a realization...I've found that creatives are affected by their environment.
No, really.
Think about the kind of work you do. Think about where you're doing it. Perhaps it's not satisfying because you don't particularly find your surroundings satisfying. Or, it's quite possible you also don't particularly consider your work stimulating nor overly creative. The vigor you once had, has been drained. And without it your lackluster projects or surroundings could now be affecting your workflow on a subconscious level.
Thats why as others have already mentioned it pays to immerse yourself in good design—the kind that you find creative and engaging. It makes sense, no? After all, we are the sort of lot that strive off of visual stimuli all the live long day.
So here are some simple suggestions to combat this. Head to the bookstore and look through design annuals. CA, Rockport, Print, Carter's are just a few that put out several volumes a year of the cream of the crop's worth of submissions they receive which are quite a lot let me tell you. Lots of inspiration there. Head to museums. Go to clothing boutiques. Peruse through fashion and design magazines. Browse through CD selections. Hang out at the trendy part of town every other afternoon, sketch pad and pencils in hand and your favorite tunes in ear. Get inspired with your surroundings. Thats a couple of ways I re-charge and re-immerse myself creatively when I'm in a funk.
Everyone goes through these ruts, especially when in an unsatisfyingly limited position. Luckily there are plenty of affordable ways to jumpstart your creative drive again to get that giddyap going.
I've arrived at a realization...I've found that creatives are affected by their environment.
No, really.
Think about the kind of work you do. Think about where you're doing it. Perhaps it's not satisfying because you don't particularly find your surroundings satisfying. Or, it's quite possible you also don't particularly consider your work stimulating nor overly creative. The vigor you once had, has been drained. And without it your lackluster projects or surroundings could now be affecting your workflow on a subconscious level.
Thats why as others have already mentioned it pays to immerse yourself in good design—the kind that you find creative and engaging. It makes sense, no? After all, we are the sort of lot that strive off of visual stimuli all the live long day.
So here are some simple suggestions to combat this. Head to the bookstore and look through design annuals. CA, Rockport, Print, Carter's are just a few that put out several volumes a year of the cream of the crop's worth of submissions they receive which are quite a lot let me tell you. Lots of inspiration there. Head to museums. Go to clothing boutiques. Peruse through fashion and design magazines. Browse through CD selections. Hang out at the trendy part of town every other afternoon, sketch pad and pencils in hand and your favorite tunes in ear. Get inspired with your surroundings. Thats a couple of ways I re-charge and re-immerse myself creatively when I'm in a funk.
Everyone goes through these ruts, especially when in an unsatisfyingly limited position. Luckily there are plenty of affordable ways to jumpstart your creative drive again to get that giddyap going.
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Thanks for posting these suggestions. I can certainly attest to the fact that we need stimuli. I noticed I tend to gravitate towards fine artists for inspiration.
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