5 Ways to Stay Inspired

Creative people have to find inspiration every day in order to be successful in their jobs. But that is easier said than done, and sometimes that inspiration just won’t come. That’s why I’ve created a list with 5 steps for any creative to take before and during their creative process, to give them that little push towards the right direction.

1. Keep your mind clear. This is the most essential piece of the inspiration puzzle. Thinking about other problems or worries you might have will affect your creativity. I find that a very useful way of clearing your head is sports. Go for a run, play soccer once or twice a week. You will find that while you’re physically active, none of your worries really matter, and that brings you an indescribable sense of relaxation that is very useful creative-wise.

2. Inspiration juice. Coffee, coffee and more coffee. I can’t get enough coffee, and for some reason I can’t function without it. Has it become an addiction? Probably, but it is amazing how every time I take a sip out of my yellow I HEART SF mug my brain it feels like if i just gave my brain some extra power. Beer works too, but be careful because with too many of those getting work done will be the last thing on your mind.

3. Sketch it out. Personally, this step is more than necessary. Once you write something down, be it on a piece of paper, or on a white board, chances are your idea will become clearer. Sometimes just being able to physically see what  you’re thinking can help you identify either whats missing, or what comes next.

4. Disconnect. Nowadays, everyone thinks they have ADD. But the truth is, we just have to many things distracting us from really concentrating on what we are doing. Good creative work needs focus, and thats hard to achieve if you have the lates episode of Ground Floor on in the background, and you keep glancing at your phone to see if your Instagram picture reached 100 likes.

5. Share with someone. I usually find that coming up with a good idea takes more than just one point of view. Whenever I think of something, I like sharing it with someone else, hoping that, whatever it is, it sparks an idea on the other person’s head. This then becomes a cycle, and with that you start building on each other and making a stronger point.

These steps have helped me stay inspired, and ultimately come up with my best work. But the key is to adapt them to your individual way of working. Find out what inspires you, make a list, and just follow the steps whenever you are in need of some inspiration.