There are two creative concepts that keep coming up for me lately: ritual and flow. They’re presenting themselves in the things that I read and in the podcasts that I listen to while I’m doing graphic design work.
When I talk about creative ritual, I mean the things that you do to prepare yourself for your work. Sometimes this means the simple things that signify that it’s time to work – putting on your favorite sweatshirt, lighting a candle, drinking a cup of coffee, turning on your computer. If you’re a freelancer, having a framework to divide up your day into work and non-work can help you set boundaries and be more productive.
The problem with rituals are when they’re actually hindering your creative process. If you sit down every morning and immediately start checking and responding to email without really thinking about why you’re using that specific time of day to take on this task, that could be a non-productive ritual. If the very first thing you do when you start a new creative project is look for inspiration on Pinterest, that could stop you from coming up with an idea that’s more in-line with your own vision.
Sitting down to answer your email or looking at Pinterest for inspiration aren’t inherently bad ideas. The problems begin when you’re doing these types of activities as a second nature without giving any thought to when and why you’re doing them. In Jess Lively’s recent interview with Erin Loechner they discuss “golden hours” – the time of day when you’re most productive. For example, if you’re responding to email during your golden hours out of habit, you’re not using your peak creative time in the best way. If you do your best work in the morning, move email responses to a block of time after lunch and save the mornings for the work that’s most important and valuable to you.
The same kind of logic works for using sources like Pinterest for inspiration for design projects. Other design work can be a great resource when used appropriately. You just need to think about when to go there.
Instead of spending hours clicking the heart button and virtually collecting other people’s work you’re inspired by, start out by writing down all of your ideas, connections, and themes that emerge when thinking about solving a problem through graphic design.
Sketch your ideas, think about colors, and look at unusual sources of inspiration first before heading over to Pinterest or pulling down those design books from your shelves. Check out The Accidental Creative podcast on establishing helpful creative rituals and The Unmistakable Creative podcast about limiting technology time to enhance your creativity for some ideas on where you can incorporate positive creative rituals in your daily life.
The next creative process I want to explore today is flow. I’ve written about the Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of flow before (and now I want to go roller skating), and it’s recently presented itself to me again in a fantastic article by Jill Parrella and a great interview with graphic designer and artist Deborah Brown by Erin Anacker. “Flow” happens when you’re completely present and focused on what you’re doing at that moment. You’re completely taking part in whatever activity you’re participating in, fully immersed in where you are.
I’ve noticed “flow” happening much more in my life and work lately. A couple of weeks ago the Adventure Club took a day trip to Vashon Island. Here’s a little sneak preview of the photos to come soon!
There was something about that day that kept me firmly grounded in the present moment. I felt grateful, excited, engaged, content, full of love, and immersed in what we were doing throughout the day.
I experienced flow – time melted away, I didn’t think about anything on my to-do list, I was fully present. Part of the reason could have been that we traveled to a place we’d never visited before. Novel experiences often produce a state of flow, as long as what you’re doing is appropriately balanced between challenging and comfortable. I was less distracted than normal, because I was visiting a place I’d never been before and spent time looking around and observing my environment. Oftentimes when I visit places I’ve seen a thousand times before I don’t spend as much time observing, which is a mistake.
There are always new things to discover, even if they’re just new connections created in your mind while you pass by and peek inside a familiar storefront for the 75th time.
What’s your experience with these concepts? Do you have positive creative rituals that you can share with us? What are some of your off-the-beaten path stops for inspiration in the physical or virtual world? Please share your thoughts on Facebook or in the comments section. I’d love to talk more about this!
WordPress Switch Update: I’m still cleaning up older posts after my move from Squarespace, so if you find anything that looks weird that’s why. I’ve updated my graphic design, photography, and art portfolios, so take a look if you’re interested! If you like what you see, you can hire me to help you tell your company’s story.