A Creative Routine: How To Solicit Your Creativity Each And Every Day

Posted on May 22, 2010 | 0 comments

You hear “Beep, beep, beep” as your alarm clock belts out that annoying sound reminding you that it is time for another day. For most people, this is the trigger that sets off a daily routine. Although the routine varies from person to person, there is common ground in that it means that a familiar and repeat set of actions is about to be set into motion.

Think about it. Almost everyone (including yourself) is guided by a routine. You have routines that surround how you get ready in the morning, how you go about your workday, and the manner in which you end your day with a bedtime routine.

In many ways, routines are good. Routines provide a way in which you can assure that certain tasks get performed throughout the day. For children, routines breed familiarity, comfort, and structure that they so crave.

However, a routine is often the antithesis of creativity. Routines help people to not have to think. Routines are left-brained, step-by-step, logical actions that are often guided by the subconscious mind. You do something so often that you really do not even have to think about what you are doing. And unlike a routine, being creative requires thought that occurs in the right hemisphere of your mind.

So how do you leverage the benefits of a routine yet unleash the creative side of your brain? The secret lies in how well you establish a creative routine. A creative routine leverages the benefits of a structured framework yet allows for creativity and spontaneity within it.

The old way of planning your day involves scheduling every minute of the day. Under this approach, you schedule a specific and fixed period of time to perform a certain task. For instance, you plan from 10AM to 11AM to focus on product design, book writing, or for reviewing a proposal.

But what if you are not in the right mindset to tackle that particular task at that specific time? This is where the creative routine takes over. You give yourself permission within your day to adjust and re-adjust. It might be that at 10AM you need a break. If so, go take a walk, complete your daily workout, sit out in the sun, or go work on your golf game. You’ll come back rejuvenated, refreshed, and ready to tackle the specific task that you weren’t ready to start immediately at 10AM.

You should consider managing your day with a creative routine. Your goal should be to design a loose framework yet give yourself permission to be spontaneous and creative within it. Try it. There’s a good chance that you’ll find yourself happier and more productive as you move away from your old boring routines.