the creative process
March, 2024
These days, I was talking to another creative mind, and we shared experiences about the difficulties we face due to having a different work process than others.
A creative process cannot be forced; it needs headspace and the suitable condition of the environment and mind for it to function. Each creative has their own set of tools to achieve that state. However, it is unlike a machine in which the engine starts by clicking a button. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes, one needs a walk in the forest or mountain to only then have the aha moment. It could also come in the shower, during a conversation with someone else (known or unknown person), or as a result of a dream.
Various factors influence the creative process. There is no right or wrong. But one thing is for sure: it requires space to allow the ideas to wander freely without judgment.
In a traditional office environment, working in the evenings, on Sundays, or taking a nap during the afternoon are elements that are mostly not well understood or well received. The 9-5, Monday to Friday schedule is the one normally followed.
I originally stem from a very corporate background. Thus, this way of thinking is deeply ingrained in my mind as “how things should be”. I’m unlearning that.
Since I started working in the creative field, I have been constantly learning and unlearning, and routines are one of the topics that I am still refining.
Sundays became my favourite day of the week to work (there is a certain silence that allows focused work - I write these words on a Sunday morning 😉). More and more, I come to realise that, in the afternoon, I am completely useless. My brain doesn’t work properly, my energy drops below zero and sitting in front of the computer is the worst thing I can do during that time - it releases frustration and binge eating. A bit before 17:00, my energy levels significantly increases again, and I am back with my fast-thinking and creating approach. As is it with Sundays, evenings also bring that peace with it.
Thus, my learning and unlearning process of making my days and weeks work for me. Many people don’t understand or question my schedule, but it works. A little voice inside my head still comes in when I lie down at 3 p.m. - “You should be working”. Shoulds… Wouldn’t it be better if we respected our own internal needs and followed the schedule as it makes the most sense for us rather than for others?
I’m also observing and adapting the process to my menstrual cycle, which again influences the type of work, stamina, socialising, sorts of input needed and outputs generated.
How would it be if more of this was also incentivised in the corporate reality? What are your thoughts?
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And here is a last little food for thought to-go for you:
When working with a creative, the more freedom you allow in the creation process and the less expectation of a specific outcome you have, the better the collaborative work probably occurs. Giving space to the other provides room for possible unexpected outcomes that would be trimmed otherwise. You are also giving the space for the individual to work in a way that allows him/her to best perform.
And here are my top strategies that help my mind to enter a creative state:
Nature - a walk in the woods or a hike in the mountains on my own feels like a firework show of ideas
Silence / offline moments
Inspiring exhibition
Exchanges with specific individuals that aggregate and brainstorm together, igniting new possibilities
How does your creative process work?