One day, I woke up late in the morning, exhausted from a project that kept me up all night overseeing furniture installation. We finished at dawn (3 a.m., to be exact), and by the time I showered and finally slept in, it was already 9 a.m..
Five hours of sleep is usually enough for me to function, and as an interior designer with over 20 years of experience, designing is my primary task. I prefer to do things myself and haven't delegated much over the years. This constant design work has trained me to think creatively.
However, that particular morning was different. I was staring at my computer screen, reviewing client feedback for a design project and I felt completely frozen. No ideas emerged on how to implement their needs. I was scrolling through Pinterest and Instagram for inspiration proved pointless, leaving me feeling utterly devastated.
I call it a "white page" syndrome, a state where creativity deserts you at the most crucial time.
Many believe creativity is reserved for artistic professions like musicians, designers, architects, dancers, and painters. But creativity is for everyone, especially for "creators" who produce things that benefit others, including themselves. And as a solopreneur, you also have to managing everything yourself, that is the reason why creativity is essential in building your business.
We've all learned the road of becoming digital solopreneurs: finding a niche, crafting solutions for that niche's problems, creating products, and marketing them to the target audience. This process requires diverse thinking, and creativity fuels every step. But sure there will be days when inspiration feels like a distant dream, and all you can do is stare at a blank screen.
That's where mindset comes into play.
Understanding How Your Brain Works
Starting a project can be daunting, especially when you lack ideas. This is because our brains naturally seek "perfection" in everything we create. It's normal; we all want to produce the "best" or "perfect" version of ourselves and our brand. However, this perfectionist tendency can also create a "big wall" that hold us from even starting.
The key to unlocking a constant flow of creativity and making it an infinite resource is to shift your mindset. Think of creativity as a muscle that needs constant exercise to stay strong.
The way to do it is to stop waiting for the elusive "aha!" moment and start jotting down all ideas, good or bad. Creativity thrives on experimentation and iteration. Don't be afraid to make mistakes or have bad ideas. Remember, there are no wrong ideas at this stage. If you have go-to frameworks or formats, include them as "new" ideas as well. Once your paper is full of writing, it's no longer a blank canvas, and that's when your brain starts generating creative ideas.
By doing these exercises, you're essentially training your brain to think creatively. Becoming a creative person is not a one-time achievement; it's a continuous journey. And like any habit, it involves routines and activities that trigger your creativity.
Here are some techniques to cultivate your creative habit:
Schedule Creative Time: Block out dedicated time in your calendar for creative exploration. This could be your freewriting session. Prepare your preferred note-taking tools, whether it's Notion or a simple piece of paper. Make the routine enjoyable and easy to follow, so you're more likely to stick with it to capture your ideas.
Create a Creative Space: Designate a specific area in your workspace that inspires you. Surround yourself with visuals, quotes, or objects that spark joy and ignite your imagination. If you get bored with your space, switch to a different room or location and restart your routine.
Consume Diverse Content: Regularly expose yourself to various content formats—podcasts, documentaries, articles, even fiction. This broadens your perspective and injects fresh ideas into your creative wellspring.
Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness exercises like meditation or deep breathing can help you tap into a state of focused calm, which is conducive to creative thinking. You can even combine this with your creative time block, meditating right before your designated creative session.
A Day with Creativity
By implementing these techniques, I've significantly reduced my encounters with "white page" syndrome. Now, when my ideas run dry, my brain automatically searches for unconventional solutions. As a result, I can deliver designs faster, get paid more frequently, and most importantly, have more time for creative pursuits like creating digital templates, having fun with social media, and even writing this newsletter.
If your daily schedule looks similar to mine, but you still struggle to creatively develop your products, I highly recommend adopting the mindset shift I mentioned earlier and turning creative activities into habits.
Happy creating until the next newsletter!