Hello, it's Jennifer from Sea Lemon
in this video I will share with you
10 ways that can help boost your creativity
Maybe you've hit a creative block,
or you have a job that's creatively demanding
Sometimes when we get in sort of a creativ rut
we get blinders, or tunnel vision
and is just really hard to realize the simple things
that you can do to help you get out of that rut
These are things that have helped me over the years
but I know everybody is different
so, at the very least,
maybe they'll provide some inspiration for you
This video is sponsored by Squarespace
and I will talk a bit more about them later
but for now let's get into these tips!
My first tip is to try and maximize
the best time of the day that you are the most creative
As a creative person it's good to know your mind
and know when you work at your best
If you've never thought about this
go ahead and try to keep track of it
Some people are morning people,
some people are night owls,
and usually the time when they feel the most energized to make stuff
is when they are at their creative best
But obviously the world doesn't operate at the times that we want it to
you have a 9 to 5 job,
or you go to school
so if you don't have the luxury of choosing
when you want to work on creative stuff
you can block out time
in the beginning of your day or at the end of your day
depending on when you feel the most creative
to work on your side project
or to concept ideas
for the work you do in the middle of the day
I'm not saying you have to wake up early or stay up late
to work on stuff
but if it helps you generate more ideas
or if a half a hour of that time
helps you put better work into
the time that you need to be creative
sometimes it could be really beneficial
When I was working as a full time graphic designer
at an office
sometimes I just wasn't very creative in the afternoon
and I just couldn't come up with any ideas
But in my drive home I started to come up with ideas
when I wasn't at the office
or at 9 when I was getting ready for bed
so I always had a sketchbook near me
and kept track of just ideas
so when I went back to work i could plug those ideas in
and work on my creative projects
I know some people really like to get up early
and they have their morning coffee
and they get up before everybody else does
because that's the time that they have the least distractions
and they can work o their stuff
and I've also seen artists who stay up late past midnight
they work until like 3 a.m.
because that's the time they feel the best to work on their stuff
When it's early in the morning, or late at night
there is just this stillness of time
that you're not being distracted by anything
the world is kind of quiet and not bugging you yet
and it can be really beneficial
to have that time to yourself
and to focus to what you're doing
When I was in college I usually did stay up after midnight
working on stuff
because that's when I was the most creative
I was a night owl
I am naturally a night owl
but as you get into the working world you can't always do that
you have to adapt depending on your working situation
your living situation
so I have since become more of a morning person
somedays I still do take some time at the end of the night
I'll stay up late and I'll sacrifice my sleep
but I do want to say that it is important
to get a good night's sleep
don't sacrfice so much time that you're harming your brain and your body
by losing sleep
Whatever time of day works best for you
know when that is, track it, figure it out
so that you can kind of have that in your back pocket
and you know when your brain
can maximize the best time of day to be creative
Next one is Music
this is really easy to forget
sometimes I forget to turn on the music when I'm working on stuff
if there's no noise sometimes I feel like it's making my work go by slower
and I work slower
so just having something in the background really helps
I like music that's not going to interrupt me
and sometimes when there's like
this is really picky
but sometimes when there's songs or music that has, like, a lot of breaks in it
or a lot of, like, talking or something
that kind of interrupts my focus
so I like really a melodic and a harmonizing music
I...I don't really know what to call it
I do have a Spotify playlist
if you are looking for new music to listen to while you work
I'll put the link down below
Sometimes I listen to Google Play
just to switch it up a little bit
There's also a lot of YouTube channels
that just play, I think they're called "study beats"
and it's also like that melodic kind of like repetition
I prefer what it's called Lo-fi Hip Hop
or Trip-Hop,
or Chillhop
there's a few names for it
but once you hear it you'll know what I mean
I like that kind of music to make art to
to doodle to
and to just kind of work
I like to use music to block out distractions
put my headphones on, or put your earbuds in
and it will just really help you focus
Certain music can help me feel less anxious
and less intimidated to start projects
some people like noise apps
there's a lot of them out there
some of them have, like, coffee shop chatter in the background
maybe that helps you work
or maybe the sound of the rain falling,
audiobooks help,
but I kind of prefer to listen to those while I'm making something
but not so much while I'm editing something
so it kind of depends on what I'm working on
Some people like to watch movies while they work
I can't really do that, because it's too distracting for me
I want to listen and to watch to what the dialogue is happening
but I do like to watch movies to reset my brain
if I'm really stomped
and that escape can help me come back to the work
and make me feel more creative
Something else that can help reset your creativity
is to do the opposite of what your project deals with
or what you're doing
or something really repetitious
I feel like when you force yourself to do something mundane
like cleaning, or folding laundry
or doing some kind of task that you already know how to do
and your brain can just go on auto-pilot
I fell like that leaves the other side of your brain to have freedom
to reset and kind of figure out the creative block that you're in
There's a saying that "the best ideas happen when you're in the shower"
and I think there is some science to that
because when you're just on auto-pilot and you're just doing your thing without thinking
there is a part in your brain that is thinking
and it's giving that part freedom to wander
and to come up with new ideas
A few years ago I was watching an Albert Einstein documentary
and I remember they've mentioned that
whenever he was kind of stomped on trying to solve a problem
he always went on walks
and that totally helps
I totally agree with that
I take Kona out for a walk all the time
not to say knitting and bookbinding is mundane
but it is repetitious
your hands are on auto-pilot
or you're just kind of doing something
over and over and over
can help that side of your brain to just take a break
and then another part just figures stuff out
I've a lot of bookbinding projects on my channel
if you ever want to stitch a book
I think that part of the book-making process can help
like Coptic Stitch,
or Long Stitch,
or Saddle Stitch,
you can try sewing, you can try knitting
anything that's kind of repetitious
Another thing you can try is changing your scenery
sometimes when you're looking at the same project
for so long
you can miss things,
or you don't see things the right way anymore
and you just need a visual break
even if it's changing your scenery or environment
during your lunch break
a new environment can reset your brain
and make you see things in a new way
Wander around some place that's a lot different
than the environment that you're used to working in
So if you have too much visual stimulation
and you come from a chaotic work environment
go someplace that doesn't have a lot going on
that's the complete opposite
Someplace peaceful
that's more calming and simple,
nature can really help with that
Or maybe you're in a sterile environment
where it's not creative enough
and it just is really blank
you have a whole blank wall to look at
Go somewhere that's visually stimulating
that has a lot going on
and you can get more inspiration
and your mind just gets more stimulated to be more creative
You could walk around the mall
even walk around Target, or Michael's
you don't have to buy anyhing
it's more just to jog your creativity
and get your brain going
If you have time,
changing your scenery by travelling is really great
experiencing a new culture
can give you a new way, a new perspective at looking at things
and help you come back to your creative work with a fresh mind
I feel like it helps your mental database
so that you have more visual reference to recall on
and it can help you change the way you approach different projects
help you make better decisions
when you're solving creative problems
If you can't physically change your scenery or go somewhere
the Internet is full of places to wander
There is so much creative resource online now
and that inspiration can help spark ideas
I remember when I was in College and I was looking for inspiration for projects
we didn't have any of that
we went to books and magazines
and went places
but now there's just so much online
that I feel like it can be overwhelming sometimes
so i think there's a balance to that
Don't get so inspired by everything online and overwhelmed
that it's stopping you from making the creative work that's original to you
use it as you need it in the time you have
but don't let it suck you in
where you can't get anything creative done at all
Next is to keep an organized workspace
a chaotic setting can lead to distractions
which lead you to procrastinate
on the work that you need to get done
which leads you to focusing on stuff
that isn't productive to your creativity
This includes cleaning your workspace
or your desk
or your computer
it can help you get to your work faster
help you get your creative work ideas out easier
because everything is organized
But also, I feel like it helps to declutter
the stuff online that you follow
if you take the noise out of wherever your workspace is
it can really help you
and that goes for social stuff
I know there's so much stuff to follow online now
and you want to keep track of everything
but sometimes following everything
can add more noise and clutter to your creative work
I recommend going through your social feeds
and take note of what is really inspiring you
of what are the accounts that are really beneficial to your creativity
otherwise, if it's not,
it's just putting clutter and noise and wasting your time
by looking through all the stuff that isn't helping you
I hope when you're doing this
you don't unfollow Sea Lemon, if you are following me
it's really up to your preference on who inspires you
and what you look at as visual inspiration
It may soud mean to unfollow accounts
but, in the end it's whatever is really benefitting you
and helping you
be the best creative self you can be
Next I think it's really beneficial to organize your ideas,
your projects, in a notebook or someplace
and also give yourself a place
where you can just unload everything onto paper
I recently went through how I do this in my notebooks
how I made my own DIY system
that works best for my brain for unloading my ideas
and sorting them, organizing them
you can check that out up here
and I'll also link it down below
You may have a lot of creative ideas
that are scrambling around in you brain
and they need a place to go
and they need a place to get organized
You can do this on your computer
in a text doc, or a Google doc, Evernote,
whatever you prefer to use
or in a notebook like I do
and you don't have to start
by having all of them super organized
that's where a brain dump can be really beneficial
is to just to have a moment to get all your ideas out
on a piece of paper
there's no dumb ideas
it's just whatever is in you brain to get it out
and then you can sort it from there and organize it
Giving yourself the freedom to let go of everyting on paper
can really help clear your mind
so that you can make room for other creative ideas
a bullet journal can also help for this
and I do have a video going over mine
you can use that as inspiration if you want to
and if you're having trouble coming up with ideas
a mind map can help with this
A mind map is basically:
you can put your topic,
your project in the middle
and from there make branches
and come up with other topics that are related to the main thing
it's an organized way to come up with new ideas
and it's all laid out and sorted
so you can see where you came from
and it's a simple way to generate some creative ideas
Another way to boost your creativity
could be as simple as grabbing a cup of coffee,
your favourite tea,
your favourite snack or drink
just a routine itself can help me get out of a creative funk
coffee and tea have caffeine in them
and obviously it's going to give your body a little boost
a little kick to get more motivated
obviously with any stimulant you want to have moderation
don't drink too much coffee
where you can get caffeine poisoning
don't go overboard where you can't get any sleep at night
sometimes I'll have a glass of ice green tea
or I'll make myself a mocha latte
it can just really depend of what works for you
a substitute for caffeine is working out
it's stimulating your body
and getting your blood flowing to your brain
which is going to give you more creative ideas
I dismiss this way too often
really underestimate how working out
really makes me feel more productive
which makes me feel more creative
It's amazing how just 15 to 30 minutes
of continuous exercise and working out
can really help me get more energized
take my mind off of stuff
and then I can return to my work feeling refreshed
it benefits my health, it helps my mood
I think when artists and designers, or creative people
are expected to be creative all the time
people forget that they're human
and you need to take care of yourself
otherwise you can't come up with those brilliant ideas
and you can't get all that work done
so it really helps to just take a little time out of your day
and exercise
like the saying "Healthy body, healthy mind"
The next thing that may help you is giving yourself a deadline
I know nobody likes deadlines
but sometimes when you have a project
that you're kind of sitting on
and you have no structure to it
or anybody telling you
that it needs to get done at a certain time
you need to do that for yourself
because when you put a little fire on your butt
to get something done
it does force yourself to come up with new creative ideas
that will help you get it done
I do this too myself, on my Sea Lemon channel
I try to give myself a weekly deadline
it doesn't always happen
but I did put that pressure on myself
and I have you guys to hold me accountable
and it does help me come up with more creative ideas
so that I get the stuff done
and accomplish my creative goals
So maybe you have a creative project
that you have all the time in the world to do
and it just isn't going anywhere
try giving yourself a deadline
and stick to it
it will help you
Another way to boost creativity is to try an art challenge
I have a lot of these on my channel
including doodle challenges
It can help your mind when you use creative thinking
to do quick exercises
and try new ways to stretch your sketch muscles
it can be something as silly as doing a pancake art challenge
it can be really helpfun and fun
to just have a place or an excuse to let loose creatively
and just do something silly
or not your everyday work
it can give your creative mind a break
but also help your creative mind
look at things in a new way and try new things
And another way to help boost creativity
is to have a side project
or hobby outside of your regular work
If you have the time,
I know people have families,
or obbligations,
but if you have time, it can really be beneficial
to have your own thing going outside of your full time work
The most important thing is that it's something you have control over
when you have a full time job
or you have a boss
often times you are not always in control
and you're taking orders from someone
or you have clients that are making more of the decisions
As a creative person I think it helps to have someplace
to go to where you have all of the creative control
it doesn't have to be something you make money from
although that can be helpful
if you need some extra income
but even just something like playing an instrument,
or having some kind of hobby or outlet
where you call the shots, you have the creative freedom
can be a nice relief from all the stresses
that are going on in your full time work
and when you have that outlet of relief
it can in turn boost the creativity and energy
that you put into the other work
your full time work
To use this Sea Lemon as an example
I started Sea Lemon as an Etsy shop outside of work
and I just started by making my own books,
my own sketchbooks,
because I really liked bookbinding
and just the act of doing that on the side
really energized me
and made me more of a well rounded creative person
so I could bring that back to the work that I was doing full time
Try giving yourself the creative freedom
to try something you've always wanted to do
Maybe it's a cooking class
give it a try and maybe it will boost your creativity
and fulfill you as an artist or creative person
And if you want to give bookbinding a try
or some DIY projects
I do have a source for that!
You can go check out my channel,
I made Sea Lemon into an outlet for everyone
to have creative freedom and try some projects
Now I want to talk about this video's sponsor: Squarespace
If you want to share your creativity with the world
Squarespace is a really easy way to make a creative website
Maybe you want to start an online shop,
share your portfolio,
start a blog,
or just make a website for your creative project
Squarespace has really nice, beautiful, modern templates
And you don't have to take the time to code your website
they do that for you
and they have 24/7 customer service
if you need any help
You can go check out squarespace.com
for your free trial
and when you're ready to launch your website
you can go to squarespace.com/sealemon
for 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain
I will also put that link below
and I hope this video gave you some ideas and inspiration
and helps you seize your creativity
Honestly for me a balance of all of these things
helps me be more a creative person
and boost my creativity
...I'm really curious how many times I've said "creativity" in this video
but seriously a balance of these things helps me
and I'd like to know what helps you boost your creativity
so leave it in a comment below
Hit that Like button if you found this video helpful
and I will put a couple of other videos
I will also put those links down below
And don't forget to subscribe to my channel
for more creative videos
and I will see you guys in the next video
Bye!