Wow, the last few weeks have been a blur!
Deadlines, presentations, reports new opportunities, wedding planning, more deadlines!
Has anyone else been busy lately?
We all are, of course- but I believe there is an interesting paradox at play, at least in my own experience. I have noticed I am the most creative and innovate in my thinking, writing, and practitioning when I purposefully create space outside of the hard deliverables of daily work. I also truly believe that it is the people who are able to draw from this energy and powerful thinking (both conscious and subconscious) that will find the creative ways to emerge as the new leaders of the world!
Whether it leading a movement, starting a business, or discovering and leveraging your unique voice, the combination of creativity and passion is at an all time high in the opportunities around us.
The Work-Creativity Paradox
The paradox of course is that this "zen-like" time and space seems completely counter intuitive to the daily tasks, deliverables, and work, that ultimately 'bring home the bacon'. On the other hand if all you focus on is those daily tasks with a lack of innovation, creativity, or forward progress, will you be doing them much longer?
I don't think these 'mental breaks' have to always come in big chunks like vacations or time-off, although this is the most common practice. This time can be spent in daily reflection, meditation, reading, writing, or a number of other activities that engage a different part of the brain, and also provide a very different pace and train of thought.
The Power of Reflection
I know when I create and honor this time (for me it is often reflection based) I always find that I come back to my work with questions answered, new and exciting ideas I want to write and elaborate on, and a general sense of renewed energy and inspiration.
Have you ever had a similar experience? Do you have a practice where you can switch gears and enter that creative mindset? What holds you back from really honoring your 'zen-space'?
Tips and Examples on "Shifting" Space
Whether you have answers to the above questions or not, here are some examples of ways that I intentionally create that space in my daily life (some I currently use, others I have in the past):
1) Appreciate the Good
Either when you wake up or when you are going to bed, take a minute to reflect on 3-5 things you are truly appreciative of (they can be big or small) and write them down (you can use a notebook, smartphone, whiteboard). This is a practice that Tal Ben-Shahar shared stating simple, "Appreciate the good in you, and the good will appreciate."!
2) Goal Setting
In the morning, take a minute or two to write down your top 3-5 goals for the day. Again you can use a notebook, whiteboard, and just in your smartphone. This is a great way to create structure for your day, but it could also be a way to intentionally focus on and create space for reflection and creativity.
3) Use your VOICE
This is a practice that social media has really blown the doors off, yet I still think it is underused. At one (or multiple) points in the day, either share something you are passionate about privately or publicly (privately could mean writing down a thought or idea in a notebook or word document, publicly could be on facebook, twitter, email). Or, find a post, article, idea through your social networks that you are passionate about and contribute a passionate and thought-provoking response.
The goal here is to add value by using your unique voice combined with your intrinsic passions. You will find that this is always a great way to re-energize as it is an "energy filling" action.
4) Move!
This is one of the most simple exercises but extremely powerful. If you find yourself working for hours on end (even 1 hours is too much), to change pace, get up and go for a walk (if walking isn't for you, do a few yoga positions!). Even a 5 minute walk outside in fresh air can give you enough of a mental break to be significantly more productive when you sit back down.
Changing your breathing is also a great way to "shift" – my colleagues Russell Hunter wrote a great post illustrating the power of breathing!
5) Change your Style
Another great way to shift your mental space is to change your style. I find this is effective especially when the work is very intensive and heavy. When I am writing a report, or reading a dense article, one way to help me creatively reflect is to get up (both during and after reading it) and draw the concepts on the ideas that are grabbing me on a whiteboard. This could be in the form of a list, a mind map, or even a drawing. I always make sure I set the context of what I want to get out of the "mini-creative" session as well. Do I want to deepen my learning, understand the bigger picture, or extract concepts that I can apply to my own practice.
All of these tactics are very different in approach and style, and I this on purpose. The point is that everyone's style and "shift" is different. To move into a reflective or creative space will require different practices for all of us. Be creative even in this process and find the times and activities on a daily and weekly basis where you can shift gears!
What about you?
How do you shift gears, tap into your creative, and mentally re-energize on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis?
