In the entertainment industry we perform the mind-bending task of monetizing and quantifying something intangible and fluid: creativity. We must harness, craft, package and present for review, observation, and consumption the most vulnerable content of our soul.
Due to the changing nature of the industry, more of us are wearing multiple hats (some more constricting than others ). This can mean hours and hours spent away from the primary art form that got us into this business in the first place. But I have discovered if I don’t make time to stay artful, my artist will invariably find ways to help me get my “creative fix.”
Remember those kids who got shouted at for wandering attention spans in school? I was never one of those, and I’m paying dearly now. When I haven’t had enough art-time in my day, my brain thinks of all kinds of fun ways for me to entertain others while I should be working on something else entirely. It almost becomes maddening the amount of comedic writing material, script ideas, character ideas – I don’t even have labels for all of the stuff my brain is throwing at me like silly-string, as if to say, “You won’t go to the party? I’ll bring the party TO YOU!”
Before it gets to the circus-level stage of distraction, however, I’ve found simple ways to stay artful and creative each day. In this way, my artist gets the attention she needs, while I remain on track with business aspects. Now this list is not definitive and I don’t necessarily do each of these things every day. I’ve realized, however, that these fun activities shake it up, make me feel happy, and allow me to concentrate anew on pressing tasks at hand. Here are my three main creative fixes:
1. Follow the muse.
Right. Sometimes, she really will not pipe down. So I have learned to jot the idea wherever is handy – onto bits of paper, in a note document on my laptop, or a note on my iPod. Once I just LET IT OUT, everything resumes to normal.
Ignoring the ideas is always a big mistake for me. Either the idea continues in the background, where it continually distracts me and thus slows down my progress on the other task – or if I manage to forget the idea, then I feel resentful that I’ve had to sacrifice my art for doing something “necessary.” Neither leaves a good feeling.
2. Keep on movin’.
I spend a lot of time in front of my computer each day. During that time, I constantly remind myself not to slouch, to uncross my knees, and to pull my shoulders back. Having had physiotherapy for past injuries, I’ve been made aware that staying seated for hours on end is no good for skeletal alignment, breathing, and other stuff. I don’t always remember to do it as frequently as I should, but standing up, stretching, and moving are part of how I give my brain and body a rest through long work periods.
Perhaps you thought I was going to talk about strenuous physical exertion of some kind. Although daily exercise is vital, these smaller movements also influence our creativity. I have found it is more important to keep moving throughout the day, and not just in one burst.
What do I mean by move? Well, for me, it can be putting on music that makes me feel good, jumping around and pumping my fists into the air. (I didn’t say it was cool. ) Or it could mean going through any range of movements I learned in drama school that fill me with energy – neck, ankle, hip and even finger stretches! Or it could mean, mindfully performing a household chore, like folding laundry, or putting dishes away – anything that gets me up and away from my computer for 10 to 15 minutes. The key here is to focus on your body and how it feels while you are moving. By expanding my “movement activity,” it means that I feel artful in life, and not just when I’m getting ready to perform.
3. Appreciate music.
I’ve been a musician for most of my life, and although I have had varying relationships with my daily practice, I find that music is something I can’t do without. It must absolutely be part of my day. If I do not practice my instruments for that day, I must still listen to music for at least 15 minutes every day. And not just any old music. It must make me feel something. Art is composed of everything, and so I try to expose myself weekly to new music as well. This could mean listening to a radio station I normally wouldn’t, or learning a new song that I don’t know from another era, or simply putting on a song that allows my emotions to activate.
LEAVE A COMMENT. What are three ways that you stay artful each day? I would love to hear about them in the comments below. Remember to share this article if it might help someone else you know.