The coronavirus pandemic has turned many lives upside down; and the arts industry is not immune to this. It is natural to feel uninspired during this time. Perhaps your work has transitioned online and you are craving physical contact. Maybe you were planning to tour your album, but now you are working out ways to do this online. Whatever your circumstance, it is likely that your creativity has taken a hit at some point this year.
Here are 5 ways to stay creative during uncertain times…
Take a break – Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is take a break. Reset and rethink. With social media and distractions so easy to come by, it’s easy to lose your creativity. Take a step back and reflect on where you are right now. Try to be still in the present moment and be kind to yourself. We are living in turbulent, uncertain times. Forgive yourself if you haven’t created five new dances or written a new play. We all had to meet the challenges of 2020 in different ways, and each of these are acceptable.
Seek inspiration – We all know that endless scrolling on Instagram is detrimental to our health but it doesn’t have to be all bad. If you really can’t ditch the habit, try to follow pages which inspire you. That could be artists which you admire, playwrights, musicians, dancers and so on. Or maybe it’s motivational pages full of quotes. Social media can serve as an inspirational tool; if used correctly. You could also listen to some music, read a book, listen to a podcast or watch a good film. As long as you are engaging with them for creativity purposes, they don’t have to be a distraction.
Live your life – Many people seem to think that inspiration will just strike at any given moment. This is rarely the case. To write a great script or song requires a lived experience. Without getting out into the world and experiencing new things, how will you find new things to write about?
Overcome self-doubt – One of the biggest obstacles to creativity is self-doubt. As creatives, we tend to over-analyze and over-critique our work. Whilst it is healthy to want to improve, it can also cause us to abstain from creativity altogether for fear of it being unworthy. Try to create for fun; with no fear or boundaries. When we take away the parameters we set for our work, we open ourselves up to new ways of doing things. It takes us away from our rigid work flow.
Spend time alone – National lockdown’s have certainly made this easier for us and there is something to be said for spending time alone. Many of the greatest works in history were devised during alone time. Sure, spending time with friends and family is good for the soul. We all know that. But who you are when no one is looking is the real and authentic you. When you are the most authentic version of yourself is when you can create work in line with your values and who you are. Tap into this person as much as you can.