We’re one week into the third quarter of 2016.
If you’re like I am, you probably hate me for even mentioning it. At this point in the year, I feel like Mad Max at the beginning of the film, unable to shake off the war boys as they fight to keep him hostage. But my war boys are the annual goals I set in advance of Q1.
And while I feel like I’m currently on track with my 2016 goals (feel free to send me a thumbs up emoji in your mind), the third quarter marks a time when a lot of us hit a slump creatively. Whether that’s because we’re so focused on assessing where we stand with our annual goals or if we’re just succumbing to summer-induced heat exhaustion, a creative-free day is never an option at 1820 Productions – it’s probably not where you work either. Even if you’re employed outside the creative realm, navigating the workplace, nailing your third quarter goals, and overall happiness hinge on a little creativity. Yes, I realize I sound like the Mary Poppins of annual goals and, yes, now I am humming “A Spoonful of Sugar.”
How I’m Getting Creative This Quarter
This game plan is my list to get creative synapses firing. Feel free to follow suit, and let us know on the 1820 Productions Facebook page if any of these work for you.
1. Take a picture every day. I’m snapping a iPhone photo of a memorable event each day: the headline of a great article or some fruit cookies I plan to enjoy over lunch (off the record: selfies with Snapchat filters count as “memorable” in my book). Then I write about each photo. See number 2…
2. Journal every day. Instead of immediately posting my photos on the interwebs, I use each to spark thoughts about my day or inspire a mini-story – and I’m talking short, fewer than 100 word blurbs. The added bonus: I’m building a visual micro-journal I’ll have long past Q3.
3. Get my early morning yoga on. Waking up for 6 a.m. yoga is, frankly, a form of torture to me, but some kind of yogi magic is making it happen. And the payoff is tenfold. I’m hyper focused and ready to create by the time I land at work. So I guess upon reading the hundredth article about productive people waking up early, I’m testing it out.
4. Cut myself slack. I think stress is creativity’s worst enemy. Everyday I have to flex my “take everything in stride” muscle. But like a true muscle, I’m finding it gets stronger.
Now, enough about my plan… we want to hear how you’re staying creative this quarter too. Hit us up on social media to share your tips – we’d love to highlight them in a coming blog post. Let’s make this the most creative quarter of the year (I’m sending you a high-five emoji in my mind).
