Why creativity is a lifeline when I'm drowning in responsibilities.
How I make time to be creative when I have none.
👋🏼 Hey, I’m Anna! Welcome to my weekly newsletter, where I share insights and ideas across career, business, personal development, creativity, productivity…and everything in between.
Last Monday morning before I had the chance to dose up on my morning caffeine, my day took off at break neck speed. The inbox was overflowing with urgent requests, Slack dinged, my boyfriend messaged, my hairdresser left a voicemail, a client called and Mum texted asking for help. It took every ounce of effort just to keep my head above water.
As a Type A control-freak, in these situations I automatically deprioritise anything that’s not mission-critical. If it’s not volcanically urgent, it plummets to the bottom of the list. My mind becomes a ruthless triage:
Do I have time today for hobbies or hangouts? Nope.
Meditation? Definitely no.
Exercise? I should but if I stop for half an hour this situation might burst into flames.
My daily writing? It’s important but not urgent. I’m going to have to give it a miss.
For the longest time this was my MO until recently it dawned on me that creativity (for me that’s writing) is an essential part of every day, especially the ones that are chaotic. In a downpour of to-dos it acts as an umbrella, shielding me from the deluge of mental clutter.
Not only that, it anchors me to myself. If I think back to when I was a kid, creativity wasn’t an option, it was a default. All of us as kids had a boundless ability to dream, imagine and think outside the box. At that age, we’re not driven by urgency but by a deep desire to experience the world and play.
But over time our creative spark dims, and in a world that prioritises productivity it’s easy to understand why. Deadlines, schedules and efficiency metrics become our personal KPIs with imagination sadly paying the price. What once was second nature becomes a frivolous luxury, something that goes on the ‘when-I-have-free-time list’ (also known as the ‘never-happening-in-a-million-years list’).
But creativity is a need not a want.
When I’m drowning, it’s the lifeline pulling me back to shore.
How I make time for creativity even when my back’s against the wall.
Some people say that we need lots of time for our minds to wander, providing space for creative genius to strike. But in reality who has endless hours to tinker? In my experience, a few minutes here and there is enough to start the creative process. It doesn’t take much time to fiddle with a sentence, a melody, a drawing or a problem, and this effort builds up layer by layer like a tower of blocks, each one a foundation for the next.
“The work reveals itself as you go.” - Rick Rubin, The Creative Act.
Take this newsletter.
I came up with the idea while lapping around the block in between meetings, then later that night spent 15 minutes haphazardly dumping my thoughts into my phone. I stole some time on the tram to organise my notes, then gradually wrote each paragraph in spare minutes here and there. I tweaked and I polished until it was good enough (read: not perfect) to post. What you’re reading right now is the result of a messy, interrupted process. But isn’t that the nature of creativity?
The secret to being creative is letting go of expectations about the time you need, and simply using whatever time you have.
Here are some lessons on creativity I’ve learned so far:
Think of yourself as the verb, not the noun.
Instead of trying to be a writer, painter, musician, designer, or teacher (the noun) focus on doing the thing instead (the verb). Write, paint, play, design, teach. Even if it’s for 5 minutes at a time. This releases some of the pressure and help you do the hardest thing - start.
Create your minimum viable routine (MVR) for creativity.
Identify the smallest possible time you can consistently dedicate to your creative practice. Perhaps it’s 10 seconds doodling each morning or writing for 5 minutes at night. It could be as tiny as simply opening your notebook. This year, after 220 straight days of writing at my desk, I’ve learned that the important thing isn’t what your routine looks like, but that there’s even a routine in the first place.
Have somewhere to dump your ideas.
Inspiration tends to strike unannounced so it’s crucial to have somewhere to capture your ideas. I use Notion (see below) to write down my thoughts as they arise, but many people use Apple Notes or other apps.
It doesn’t matter how you do it, just that you do it.
Set a timer.
Whether my writing goal is 5 minutes a day or 5 hours, I find that setting a timer helps me focus and drown out the noise. Some people use Pomodoro Technique timers to break their deep work into 25 minute slots, but I use a simple app called Harvest instead.
Create without expectation.
The last thing you want is for creativity to become another item on your long list of things to do. Create without a purpose or an outcome in mind. Give yourself the permission to do it simply for its own sake.
Remember that rest is a fundamental part of the process.
When you’re drowning and truly gasping for air - with an unhinged boss, screaming kids, a sick parent, an overcommitted schedule, cooking, cleaning, doing errands, running a household - then lock yourself away in a room, your closet or a pantry…and just breathe. Pausing to let your mind rest fuels your creative soul, even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment.
If I could distil my creative education so far down to one thing, it’s that creativity is best when it’s sprinkled. Take a little here, a little there. Have a squeeze before breakfast and perhaps even a nip before bed.
Have a creative weekend 🫶🏼
Anna
Melbourne Brekky Meetup ☕️
I’m hosting a little Anna Mack’s Stack meetup this weekend in Melbourne. Come and join me for a coffee, a croissant and a chat!
When: Sat October 7, 9:30-11am / Where: Bar Carolina, South Yarra
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I love the idea of an "MVR". And the idea that writing is as important as say, brushing your teeth or drinking water. It's more than just a nice to do!
Fitting creativity into bitesize pieces is good advice - allow yourself to do something small. Maybe being in the creative zone doesn’t always have to be deep work.