Sunday, January 11, 2015

6 Ways to Stay Creatively & Productively-Focused

Sunday, January 11, 2015
Featured photo cover: Ode Art Cafe, SS15, Subang Jaya | Facebook Page

My day-to-day can get pretty hectic and even though each day is a different day, it can turn into a routine. I find that it is very important to stay focused, or at least, make sure that you get a good dose of creative juice pumping in your veins because this would keep you motivated and productive.

My day job also requires me to work on the computer all the time. And with technology these days, what not with social media, sometimes we tend to get carried away on the internet and lose focus. Don't get me wrong, I like checking out Pinterest all the time for inspirations and ideas, but too much of something throws you off balance and then you find yourself sort of like drained out.

As I blog about this topic, I am also speaking from a personal experience; I love the internet. I mean, I am a blogger after all and my blog need to go hand in hand with the internet and social media. But I am also a writer and an artist/crafter. That means, it is equally important for me to maintain balance too to make sure that I am productive, not just glued to the computer all the time. I need to be able to work with my hands too. Whether you agree or not, sometimes, we do get carried away on the computer and it takes our focus away from attending to what's more important. Therefore, I have decided to come up with a couple of tips on how to stay creatively, and productively-focused and I hope this post will be helpful to you too:

1. Give Yourself a certain time/hour-limit on social media.

Whether it is Facebook, or Twitter, etc., encourage yourself to only spend a little time on it, do what you need and get it out of your system, then immediately get back to work or what ever it is that you are half way doing. By doing this, you don't have to do it cold turkey but gives you a sense of balance. At least you are being fair to yourself. However, if you want to completely stay off social media, you are more than welcome to do so, then just give yourself a week, month or two to stay away. You might just find yourself feeling renewed.

2. Keep a creative journal and a set of colourful Sharpies with it.

This will be a place for you to write your thoughts down, doodle, collage or keep notes on anything that you find interesting or inspiring. Even if you are going to tell me "Oh! I can't draw, I'm not an artist!" Well, let me tell you that it's not about talent, it is about staying grounded creatively and mentally.

3. Visit places or travel.

I find this one of the most important things to do to maintain a balanced lifestyle. When you visit new places, you are opening up your horizon, and allowing yourself to see things beyond what you know in your everyday life. This is one of the best way to gain inspirations too, and certainly a healthy change of environment.

4. Take photos.

Taking photos has helped become an observant person. The one thing photography has taught me is to learn how to notice the little things in life, and spot details. It doesn't matter if you know very little about photography, these days we have phone cameras, digital cameras or semi-pro cameras if you are up for a little challenge. Other than that, just snap away!

5. Self-Reward

Motivation doesn't have to come from someone else. You can do it for yourself too by rewarding yourself once in awhile. Whenever you find yourself, having to work long hours, or stuck with a big pile of work, tell yourself to do your best, and then reward yourself. It doesn't have to be anything big, a good meal, a good bath, or cozy up with a nice movie would be good too. My favourite is a good meal and my favourite movie or tv show.

6. Stop the comparison

We may all be alike (human) but we are different and unique in our own way. I have a personal experience recently that might've made me feel incompetent of another's forte. Even after blogging for 5 years, my Facebook fan page Likes isn't as high as other bloggers. I might not have as much sales (from my handmade merchandise) as other crafters, but after much thought and self-reflection, I realized that it doesn't really matter anymore. I told myself that I have a choice, to either spend my entire energy feeling dissatisfied, OR I can spend my energy on a solution instead, and I need to choose wisely, because there is an effect for everything. Likewise with everything else, whether it's a hobby work, at the office, etc. When you stop the comparison and spend your energy more on yourself, and of course, stop beating yourself up; you will begin to see the change in you.. and you will begin to see your unique abilities. The more you focus on recognizing your skills, the more you become passionate in your work. There is no science formula or magick behind this- just plain logic.

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Well, there you go! I hope this will certainly be able to start your day. This isn't just a reminder for you, but I wrote this as a reminder for myself too. We all need reminders, it's not a bad thing, it's just a notification to make sure that we always maintain our balance and stay on track.

Maybe that's how 'post-it' was invented!

Have a happy week.


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