How to Be (or Stay!) Creative in Lockdown 2
For some people, the first coronavirus lockdown was creative manna from heaven. They were gifted time they didn’t previously have to write, paint, make, and do.
Poetry poured from every online orifice, art shops sold out of painting kits, and literary agency submissions surged from March to May.
But for many others – like me – lockdown effectively turned off the creative tap. My tinkling well of ideas dried up, and writing anything new took on the sense of a long, sticky slug through treacle.
We hear so much about adverse circumstances being just what was needed to spark a mind’s Big Creative Idea.
We hear much less about minds that are compelled to concentrate on the dreary business of surviving each boring-yet-somehow-at-the-same-time-dread-filled day, without completely losing the plot.
I read a wonderful book during Lockdown 1 (A Gentleman in Moscow, if you’re interested) from which I kept recalling the same quote: “if a man does not master his circumstances then he is bound to be mastered by them.”
And with Lockdown 2 about to take hold, I wanted to stop my mind from plummeting into the same dusty trap as it had done the first time.
So, here’s what I’m doing (and what you can do, too) to “master my circumstances” … or in other words, keep going when the creative chips are down.
1. Choose six bite-sized creative tasks
When I say ‘bite-sized’, I mean something creative that you could easily do in half an hour… which is – crucially – an unintimidating amount of time.
My own tasks include tackling a creative writing exercise from one of the many books I’ve got on my shelves.
Another involves breaking out my acrylic paints, and working on the canvas I started (and abandoned) last year. A third is to write the first verse of a poem, and a fourth is to read two chapters of whatever book I’m reading, or starting a new one.
For your own list, try thinking about all the creative ideas you’ve wanted to try out, but have never got around to starting… online dance lessons, for example, or sketching a self-portrait.
2. Create a chart, and assign a number (or a colour) to each task
The reason you need six creative tasks is because you’re going to assign each one a number, or a colour, that you’ll find on each side of a die.
(I’ve got a coloured die, so red is the creative writing exercise, yellow is the poem, and so on.)
Create a chart of your tasks and their assigned number or colour, then stick it on the wall, or keep it easily to hand.
3. When you feel a creative block taking hold, roll the die!
Now you’ve got an easy tool to help you tackle those times when your creative brain feels like a stuck record.
Simply set a timer for the aforementioned half an hour (I use an antique sand timer, but hey, that’s just me) and get going.
Note: as someone who hates being told what to do – even when it’s me telling myself! – and who is also royally rubbish at sticking to schedules, there’s something appealing about the process of rolling a die, and letting its random outcome dictate the next thirty minutes of my life.
So far, it’s going well.
What are you doing to be or stay creative during Lockdown 2? If you want to get writing, you could do worse than join my newly opened Writing Gym… a safe, friendly and private Facebook group in which you can flex your writing muscle with confidence.
It’s free to join, and there will be some regular guided writing sessions to help you stay on track.
See you there?
Related Articles
How to Be (or Stay!) Creative in Lockdown 2
Ideas to help you keep that creative well flowing.
Read moreWhen Schedules, Goals, and Rituals Don’t Work
Why failing to plan could be just what you need to succeed.
Read moreHow Dare They Criticise Me! How To Make Good Use Of Feedback
How not to drown in other people's opinions.
Read moreIf You Want To Be Ultra-Creative, Channel Your Weirdness
What are the events, loves, or random quirks of character that really make you, you?
Read more
Why Should I Write About A Subject, When Others Have Done It Already?
Nobody else can tell a story in quite the same way you can.
Read moreAll Hail September, Month of New Beginnings
Get ready to shed the skin of summer, and begin a new creative project.
Read moreWhy (The Right) Words Matter, More Than Ever Before
In these unprecedented times, words count.
Read more(Don’t) Show Your Work: How To Become A Confident Creator
Create like nobody's watching... so that when they are, you're ready.
Read moreWhy ‘Explain Your Obvious’ is the Secret of Persuasive Writing
Explaining what’s blatantly obvious to you, could turn out to be advertising gold.
Read moreLife in the Time of Coronavirus
There’s something reassuring about businesses carrying on as ‘normally’ as they can...
Read moreGSOH Required: How to Write an (Effective) Online Dating Profile
"...it’s detail that will make you stand out, and most people aren’t mind readers."
Read moreWho Do You Want to Be Today?
This is a story about a career transformation. And Take That.
Read moreWant to Write Like A Human? Mine Your Inner Monologue
"You can’t be on somebody’s side, if you don’t know what they think or how they feel".
Read moreBlogging, and the Importance of Bodacious Self-Expression
...they were learning how to express their true feelings in words, and the results were honest, uplifting, and totally magnetic.
Read moreSecret Sauce to Give Your Blog Posts Added Spice
"If you want to grab readers’ attention, you have to start with the heart."
Read moreHow to Transform Your Blog Into a Book
If you have trouble motivating yourself to write that next blog post, whisper a little reminder: this could be a book one day.
Read moreHow to Plan Your Career Change CV (Hint: Be Selfish!)
"If you really want to change your career, you have to be determined, and you have to be selfish."
Read moreThe Trials and Tribulations of the Freelance Holiday
As a freelance writer, taking a break is always a challenge. But I push on through the guilt, and here's why.
Read moreThe Magic of Kismet Marketing
Has your marketing strategy got room for some unexpected magic?
Read moreSEO Copywriting (and Other Ways to Make Your Business Sound Boring)
Don't write for search engines, write for people.
Read more
The Art of the Written Compliment
If you're too embarrassed to give (or receive!) compliments, writing it all down can work wonders
Read moreLooking for a way to beat the January blues? Start with a letter
It's Universal Letter Writing Week - how will you celebrate?
Read moreStraight from the heart: how to write irresistible words
When you give people a piece of yourself, you will naturally engage them.
Read moreHow to choose the right coach or training course – at the right time
"If you like someone, you might be tempted to look for excuses to work with them, even if their particular skills aren’t what you need."
Read moreIf you can’t take criticism, don’t be a writer!*
You can always learn from other people's insights - good or bad
Read moreWhy a degree doesn't equal real-world competence
Sometimes, just putting the work in is enough.
Read moreFreelance reflections in the snow
Just like building the perfect snowman, carving out your freelance identity can be tough!
Read moreHow to write interesting content for any business (even yours)
Got a book or blog to write? Beat the block and get it done!
November means #NaNoWriMo - so whatever you're working on, it's time to get it done!
Read moreHow will I sound like me, when you're doing the writing?
Ironically, it's when you're writing about yourself that you will sound least like you. Hiring a writer to do it for you can bring a whole host of benefits.
Read moreWhy storytelling is your secret weapon in business (and how to do it properly)
Learn how to live happily ever after through the power of storytelling
Read moreWhy you definitely shouldn't write a book in a weekend!
Writing books is big business - or at least it can be, if you get it right. For starters, this means not rushing the process!
Read moreRead this before you publish you're next blog post!
Do you edit your work before you publish it?
Read moreCreate a schedule you can stick to (it's not as hard as you think!)
Creating a schedule can be a difficult task, especially when you're planning for work you're not being paid for - or that nobody is expecting! Here's how to get started on crafting a time plan that will work for you.
Read moreFor that special person who has everything, give the gift of words
If you know someone who already has everything, give them something truly unique - special words.
Read moreHow to write your life story
With a new year on the horizon, why not make a resolution to tell your life story? Committing your personal tales to paper can be a rich and rewarding experience for you to write and others to read...for generations to come. Here's how to get started.
Read moreHow to pinpoint useful e-information for your business…without going crazy in the crowd!
Are you often left with the feeling that you don't quite know enough about all the online tools you can use to promote your business? How about website analytics...shouldn't you be checking them every five minutes just like the experts say? Relax - here's how to take advantage of all the advice available online, by defining exactly what YOU want to know.
Read moreFitting in ‘me’ projects – five panic-free time management tips for the professionally overwhelmed
Is time getting the better of you? With a growing business, several passion projects on the go, books to read and friends I'd quite like to see, I was starting to feel overwhelmed...until I decided to take a closer look at planning my time more effectively. Here's how you can do the same.
Read moreGhost stories…how shadowy script can light up your life and work
BOO! Like a ripe pumpkin Hallowe'en has rolled around yet again, so what better time to extol the benefits of ghostwriting, definitely not just the province of bargain-bin bound celebrities.
Read more"I'm a Quiet Revolutionary..." she whispered
I'm very proud indeed to be featured as this week's 'Quiet Revolutionary' - a celebration of all things introverted.
Read moreHow I escaped the corporate cage and set myself firmly on the ‘write’ career path!
An encounter with a corporate headhunter made me question my career - why was I still doing something I didn't love? Here's how I formulated my corporate escape plan and found a career I truly enjoy.
Read moreGoing it alone - surviving self-employment
Going it alone, releasing yourself from the shackles of a traditional nine-to-five, is exhilarating. It's also incredibly scary! To celebrate my first quarter-year in business, here are some of the most important lessons I've learned from the front line.
Read moreBlogging - not just for hipsters and sicksters*
Regular blog posts - especially if you run a business - can drastically increase your following, as well as helping you beat the competition by describing how you do things your way. Read on for a few more great reasons why you should join the blogging revolution!
Read more
