4 Ways to Stay Creatively Inspired in Your Business

The creative muse is an elusive thing. One day you wake up ready to change the world; the next, you feel sluggish and unmotivated. 

It’s not always easy to find a rhythm to your work days, especially when your daily routine looks radically different from some of your peers’. When you’re a creative business owner, your schedule is designed and implemented by you and you alone. Suffice to say, paying the bills is a big motivator to get out of bed, make yourself some strong coffee, and open your laptop each morning.

Sometimes, though, no matter how hard you try, you feel as though your creative well has run dry. During these periods of blockage, it’s important to remember that anxiety will only make things worse. Take a deep breath and consider some of the following tried-and-true techniques to get yourself back on track.

Change your environment.

There’s a reason creatives often work from places other than their homes: coffee shops, co-working spaces, and rental office spaces. The refreshing newness of a different space can be highly effective at triggering the creative spark. Furthermore, the stakes are higher when you’ve actually changed your physical environment: it’s easier to be productive once you’ve taken the time to drive to Starbucks, pay for a drink, and set up your laptop.

Modify your own environment to make it feel new.

On days when you don’t feel like leaving the house, you can still create novelty in your own surroundings by making small, subtle changes: lighting a candle by your desk, moving your desk to a new location, or taking your laptop outside on the patio. Despite the stereotype of the eccentric creative genius, productivity is actually higher in more minimalist spaces. The very act of decluttering your work space can serve as a creative trigger.

Experiment with light.

During the winter months when natural light is scarce, productivity tends to suffer as a result of changes to your mood, sleep changes, and lethargy. To keep your mood elevated and your work ethic strong, try integrating light into your workspace. Whether it’s a softly flickering candle or a Himalayan salt lamp, light boxes or adjustable ambient lighting, there are numerous options to fit every kind of home office. Of course, nothing is more beneficial than natural light, so keep your blinds open and your desk in a well-lit area.

Use moodboards.

They’re not just for creative directors. Moodboarding apps like Pinterest and Cosmos are useful for every kind of artist, and they’re only becoming more popular in our increasingly digital age. Moodboards help to refine esoteric concepts into concrete plans, and capture the emotional essence of an idea before it all comes together. They serve as a foundational building block for storytelling, strategy, and outreach through visual connection.

The GDWTR team is made up of creatives. That’s why we’re so good at what we do. We understand the unique needs of creative business owners, who experience the same hills and valleys in the creative life that we do ourselves. Consider outsourcing some of the administrative burdens of your business to us so you can spend more time breaking through your barriers.