Use Boredom for Creativity
A reflection from my creative life when I’m not working…aka bored
I’m grateful I’m very comfortably settled in my cozy office chair in the nice and airy room of the co-working space where I go to three times a week to break up the monotony of working from home — a freelancer’s life.
The scorching summer is finally here, and today is one such hot and humid day. I’m not a fan of this smelly and sweaty season, so let’s just hope it’s over soon.
My work schedule is pretty light these days. I wrapped up a project earlier last month and since I’m traveling soon, I’m not actively working on any new project except building my brand on LinkedIn. So my schedule these days is pretty free and comfy, to sum up.
These breaks are fairly common in the freelance world, those between one project delivery and another project acquisition. Although these breaks can sometimes be stressful, I usually use them to build my brand and think about ways to grow my business.
I’ve noticed that these short windows in our lives, when we’re free from the hustle of our otherwise very busy life, serve as a gateway to creativity. I feel like creativity needs its own personal space in our mind to thrive and it does not like to share its presence with the clutter of stimulations and information from our constant lingering on social media, emails, texts, calls and work.
Just to reiterate, here’s what I’ve done so far in the short break from work;
- I’ve written three articles on Medium
- Been consistent with my posts on LinkedIn
- Cooked a Chinese recipe of my own which tasted very nice.
Creativity is inclusive
You might wonder why a recipe jumped inbetween. Well, that’s the thing about being creative. Creativity isn’t just limited to artistic forms of being; this is something I read in a newsletter last week which makes perfect sense. Creativity is in our nature, and we can be creative in our daily lives, in our mundane chores. Whether you’re cooking a new recipe, writing an article, thinking of new ways to increase your reach and grow your business, or playing with clothing combinations.
All of this gives you energy and makes you feel good about yourself.
Boredom creates a room for creativity
Our minds are often overloaded with information because we’re connected to social media and other websites to socialize and work. Therefore, I think whenever our mind gets a breather, a quiet space free from all the triggers, it comes up with creative ideas to fill that void. At such moments, I’ve often experienced daydreaming, a kind of situation where I’m cut off from my surroundings and immersed in my thoughts.
My creative spot of the day
If I were to spot the most creative time slot of my day, I would instantly pick my night time walk. I’ve been trying to be consistent with my night time walk, where I walk alone for half an hour. Nothing in mind, no goals I want to achieve with the walk and I leave my phone at home. I just keep the smart watch to track my steps.
I feel like I’m at my most creative during this time. My mind comes up with post ideas and article topics, mostly during this time of the day. I put no pressure on my mind, I just go for a casual carefree stroll where I take deep breaths to freshen up my body, normal pace and random thoughts. I can almost feel the fresh air and the quietness nourishing my mind, my disconnectedness from my surrounding triggering my thoughts and my body feeling a strange kind of stillness even though I’m constantly moving.
Last words
Allowing ourselves a breather from our otherwise information loaded and over stimulated life gives our mind a brief window to relax, slowdown and focus. Something I feel is important to create space for innovation that helps with our professional and personal life.
If you’re wondering, how do we do that? I’d say just pick up a cozy corner in your home away from the noises, put your gadgets aside and sit down with your eyes closed and let your mind wander in whatever way it likes.
Go for a walk, cook something, paint, pick up that long resting diary, and start writing. Anything that helps you disconnect from your usual life and surroundings, and does not put a pressure on your mind or load it unnecessarily with information or triggers. Create an environment of creativity for your mind.
