Yes, Ideas Flow from Life—And Also from Inspirational Aids
“My ideas usually come not at my desk writing but in the midst of living.”
― Anaïs Nin
Though she likely wasn’t a multi-tasker in today’s sense, Anaïs Nin recognized the need to get away from her desk for her ideas to flow. Creativity seems to find us when we’re not multi-tasking, and when we’re not at our desks.
But not everyone can escape the office. Ever find yourself trapped at work and in need of some new inspiration? Time.com offers 10 tips that are adapted from Ten Ways to Instantly Boost Your Creative IQ by Dennis McCafferty at Baseline Magazine. Big idea # 2? “Try art: Drawing what’s on your mind can help you make sense of it, even if you have no artistic ability.”
You can draw anywhere, especially at your desk. Don’t think of yourself as a sketcher? Then start out thinking of yourself as a doodler. Anyone can doodle. You probably have been doodling ever since grade school. Once you get in the habit of doodling on your legal pad, take it a step further and buy yourself a sweet little journal. There are hundreds of options—from the timeless Moleskin (a novelist’s favorite) to the more endearing creative journals with inspiring quotes (look at the dozens of blank notebooks you’ll find at Barnes & Noble alone).
The Sketchbook Project and its related Journal, which promises “more than 300 ways to fill a page,” connects an entire movement of sketching artists at its website, and you’re guaranteed to find some inspiring ideas there to help you advance from doodling to drawing.
To go beyond doodling and drawing, try the ideas here, from listening to new music, querying others for differing viewpoints, to merely taking a break:
- Time magazine’s Small Business Tip of the Day: Ten Ways to Find Inspiration
- Dennis MacCafferty’s Ten Ways to Instantly Boost Your Creative IQ (Baseline Magazine)
- More Steps to Creativity maps out clear strategies in a catchy visual infographic from Visual.ly
Share some of your methods for getting your best ideas—do they arrive while you’re sitting in your office?
My ideas take shape here: Art + Photo
Thanks for the inspiration. Perfect timing !
Well that’s handy! Glad you’re inspired.
I would certainly try this. Thanks for the tip, Jann. 🙂
Glad to hear it–let me know when you do, Norma!
I don’t know what’s in my mind after reading this but I’ve started clicking photos, a lot. I mean from none to a lot. I don’t know when I will upload those or how will I use those.
My post inspired a lot if clicking, eh? Exploration and discovery really charge creativity. Just be sure to get permission before reusing photos to comply with copyrights 😉
Oh I think there is some confusion Jann,these are the photos that I’ve been clicking on my own from my camera. I hope that’s fine. 🙂
Sorry for the miscue, Norma, it’s great that you’re clicking your shutter so often now! Sure, download your own photos with abandon, and be sure to give yourself credit. 😉
Thanks, for the advise:) will try to find more on copyrights.