An ode to iso creativity (or lack thereof)

I’m sure we’ve all been there: big dreams, dwindling motivation, and creative ideas that float off into the ether, never to be seen again.

In the throes of iso (colloquial term for the pit of despair), many of us have found that despite any newfound free time, we just can’t seem to be productive in the way we want to. And that’s NORMAL. These are ‘unprecedented times’ and even the best of us have struggles.

Take myself, for example. Sometimes, I can stay on track. And other times (see my 30 Me’s in May project), life happens and plans have to change. For clients (or your manager), it’s important to meet deadlines and do your best to keep up. But I’m going to explain my views regarding personal projects in such times: why they’re so important, how I get them done, and why the best course of action can sometimes be to give up.

My personal projects

I’m a very creative person. From music, to art, to creative writing - you name it, I do it. In high school I was working as a freelance illustrator, during my undergrad degree I was writing song after song*, and whilst completing my master’s I taught myself music theory. Though never truly focused on any one area, I’m always building, making, creating, or learning.

*None of these songs have been made public. They never will. You’re welcome.

Why do I devote my spare time to creativity?

It’s simple - I love it. There are some people out there who create because it is their job, or create because it will get them to an end goal. For me, when I put pen to paper I’m simply doing it for fun. Music helps me process emotions and destress, art allows me to explore ideas and appease my aesthetically-minded brain, and writing allows me to express myself.

Swap Netflix for something new

Let me preface this section by saying there is nothing wrong with watching Netflix. There’s a lot of merit to binge-watching the entire Disney+ catalogue of princess films. And I’m not afraid of breaking out a Pokémon DVD at the end of the day.

However, I know far too many people for whom this has become part of their routine - they’re not doing it because they enjoy it, it has simply become a habit.

So before you sit down and turn on the telly, just think, ‘Is this what I want to do with my time right now?’ If the answer is yes, go on and have a cheeky Netflix sesh. If the answer is no, find something better to do! You’ll feel like you’re using your time better, and future movie marathons will be appreciated so much more.

Finding a personal project

So what’s the next step? Inspiration (of course).

For some, inspiration comes naturally, with ideas springing to life with the same frequency as new COVID cases in Melbourne (sorry). For others, I’d recommend looking to YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest. Consume in order to create. If you can’t think of anything ground-breaking, consider practicing your craft, reading up on the theory, or learning a new skill altogether. The important thing here is just getting started.

The merits of a Pinterest board to the uninspired cannot be overstated. Try it (if you haven’t already).

For those of you who aren’t so-called ‘creatives’, don’t be afraid to try something new! Maybe you’re incredible at drawing mandalas in pen, a natural-born maestro, or even the next Shakespeare. Or maybe you’ll be horrible at it, and that’s okay too! It won’t hurt to try, and you might just find a new hobby.

Take a day off

Sometimes the creative juices dry up, life happens and things get busy. Instead of procrastinating, set yourself a break. For most of us, we work Monday to Friday and use the weekend to recharge. Many of us need to take breaks to remain productive in our spare time too. So don’t feel guilty about taking that night off to watch Harry Potter. It’s part of the process.

I have one rule - if a task takes five minutes or less, do it now! It means you’ll have less things to worry about later and allows for so many of those oh-so-satisfying check marks on your to-do list.

If you’re not loving it, axe it

There’s something to be said for maintaining motivation and willpower, and people who can see all of their projects through to the end are incredible. I am not one of those people; I do art for fun, and fun doesn’t require a schedule.

Day to day, we put so much pressure on ourselves: to keep moving forward in our career, to maintain our physical fitness, to make sure we’re always wearing clean socks. It’s a lot, especially with the additional stress of a highly infectious virus spreading through our suburbs.

When I put the same levels of pressure on myself to complete a personal project, sometimes that project loses so much of what I enjoyed in the first place. And so, just like that book you’re halfway through that got really boring, it can be best to just put the project to bed and move on to the next one.

Ideas come and go. Motivation comes and goes. We only get so much spare time and I’m going to spend it doing what I love.

Image source: Spongebob Squarepants.