Here we are with the end of 2020 in sight and what a year it’s been! It started badly for me when I lost my Dad after a short illness. I went from that straight into the pandemic. I was lucky enough to have some projects on the go during the early part of lockdown.
In between those projects I cleared two borders in our garden and did some planting.
It felt good to be in the garden in the middle of April sunshine and bird song. Most days a solitary Robin kept me company.
Unfortunately during this time I found myself really struggling for any kind of creativity.
A lot of people tell you to get out into nature when this happens. When I did that I just wanted to stay there.
Experimenting with creative pursuits
I noticed from social media that I wasn’t the only one struggling. Other designers were having exactly the same problem.
I can’t turn creativity on and off like a tap. Lifestyle changes or sudden events can impact it and it doesn’t always come back quickly or easily. Sometimes I need to gently work at getting it back.
I came to the realisation that I needed a bit of a rest and some breathing space. So alongside my project work, I found time to experiment with other creative pursuits.
I created digital art with some new software I’d bought for the business. Bought some refills for a fountain pen I’d inherited and did some ink drawings with it. I also dug out my watercolour paints, wrote some poetry and started taking photos again.
All of this was just to get my creativity going again.
Making things just for fun
When you run a design business creativity is a key part of what you offer. That brings with it its own pressures.
So it was really was nice to make a whole bunch of things without a brief or a deadline.
When I find myself in the middle of a creative block I try not to power through it. Doing that can be exhausting and counter productive. I try to make some time to rest and try out different things.
Different creative pursuits got my creativity back. It had the knock on effect of helping me bring a new focus to my project work and my business.
If you’re in the middle of a creative block I feel for you, it can be pretty demoralising.
Try stepping away from the day to day. Do some things you haven’t done for a while and don’t be too self-conscious about what you’re creating.
The end result isn’t always the important thing. Sometimes the process is what counts and what can get you firing again.
Let’s work together on a design project
I love to work with businesses who have a positive impact on the world and see the value of great design. If you need some help with a web design or branding project I’d love to hear from you.
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