Staying creative in isolation. As a creative who works from home I know how hard it can be to keep my ideas flowing in the best of times let alone when there is a pandemic happening outside my door.
Whenever there is a big upheaval in your life, it often feels as if creativity goes out the window and it can be a big challenge to find it again. When I first moved from a big city in Europe to a small town in eastern Ontario, I was devastated. I had a hard time every single day and I had no idea what to do with myself much of the time. My husband would be off at work during the day and I was pretty much on my own discovering a place that frankly doesn’t have much to discover. The nearest big city is an hour and a half (minimum) away and not a realistic daily destination. Finally I realized that I needed to snap out of this funk. That’s when I wrote my book, Tell Me What You See visual writing prompts for the wandering writer. While it is meant for writers, it’s a great tool for anyone who is looking to re-ignite their creativity. Now that everyone is in various stages of isolation I find that I’m hearing the similar complaints to the ones I had when I first moved.
That being said there are a number of things you can easily do at home to calm your mind, relieve stress and get creative.
STAYING CREATIVE IN ISOLATION
Make an appointment with yourself. When you are living without your normal schedule it’s easy to let each day melt into one very long hour. Set some time aside every day or every few days to follow your passions while staying away from work and chores. This could be something as simple as taking a walk or reading a book.
Don’t force yourself. I’m sure many of us are familiar with the feeling of sitting in front of a blank page or blank canvas willing ourselves to be creative. That can be a very frustrating experience. Most of us need to feel inspired in order to be creative. Dance around your living, listen to some great music or doodle on a piece of paper. Take the stress out of being creative.
Feed your soul. I lived in Vancouver for about 13 years. It’s a great city but it just didn’t feed my soul. I need to be in close proximity to theaters, dance studios, galleries and museums to feel fulfilled. Take the time to explore different arts. Try painting or drawing and if you can’t physically get yourself to a gallery try one of the many virtual tours that are available right now. Take a walk in your neighbourhood and see it through the lens of your camera (your phone will be perfect). find interesting houses or colourful houses to take pictures of. You can try drawing them or writing down what you see and make that into a visual journal.
Find a new workspace. Yes most coffee shops and restaurants are closed but there are so many places to work that aren’t your home. Grab your laptop or a notebook and head outside. Regulations permitting, find a pretty park to work in or maybe old graveyard or have a seat next to a bus stop. Who knows, you might be unexpectedly hit with inspiration.
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