Two To-Do Lists: My Tricks & Tips To Staying Creative

Each day when I awake, I have two "To Do" lists that swirl around in my head.

The first list involves the essentials that I must do every day:

• working out every morning, 7 days a week, for 1.5 hours
• getting kids off to school
• cleaning the house, which includes all of the usual chores that come along with managing a family of 5 & keeping in check a touch of OCD in regards to keeping things neat & orderly (Steve does tons before he leaves for work, so the chore list is very evenly split, which rules)
• feeding the animals
• work-related tasks for my business: emails, sending invoices, listing new auctions on eBay, writing new ads for next day, packing orders, weighing packages for post office, leaving feedback, inventory/ordering, etc.
  
• visiting/responding/updating on social networking sites
• grocery shopping if needs be (living vegan requires 3-4 shopping trips per week for our family; due to eating so many fruits/veggies/raw food/things that need to be fresh)
• picking up kiddos from school
• making sure they do homework
• shuttling them around to various activities
• preparing dinner
• numerous other tasks that I know I am forgetting to list.

My second list is the one I feel like I am allowed to start once the FIRST list is under control, and this one is my creative version, which includes:

• writing blogs for this site
• taking photos
• working on my book projects
• drawing
• writing poetry
• finding ways to improve my website
• baking
• playing my bass guitar
• reading
  
• making videos
• working on the Cupcake Continuum Project
• etc.

...basically, the FUN stuff that not only requires time to squeeze it into the daily equation, but also requires that I FEEL creative. Sometimes this part is tricky. It's especially frustrating when I get to a point in the day when I am READY to work on List #2 and then sit at my computer and say, "Ok, you have a moment... now what?" 

In other words, creativity doesn't always flow when you want it to. Maybe you have felt this too?  It seems you have ideas galore when you don't have time to get to them and then you do and BLOCK - BLANK - UGH!!

So in order to zero in on ways to help in that department, I thought I would list methods that assist me when I get stuck in this very predicament.

• Stop and think about who I love, what I love, and what makes me happy.
• What message do I want others to hear, learn and think about?
• I have learned over time that not every project will generate pefect results and that it's better to just try to dive in and do my best.
• Visit sites that I derive inspiration from. Sometimes they are a perfect kick start to getting my own creativity in gear.
• Make lists. Write things down. I constantly have ideas pop into my head throughout the day and if I don't record them SOMEWHERE they totally escape me when I need them; so I try to write them down (or I often text myself) so I can refer to them when I need to.
• Daydream. Sometimes escaping to another world does wonders for becoming innovative when I snap back into reality.
• Listen to music (or don't listen to music). I almost always have music on because I find it inspiring, but once in awhile I need to REALLY concentrate and find that my focus is better with a quiet environment. The latter isn't as common, but sometimes I just need to zone in.
• Read quotes. I am a total quote lover (as if you can't tell from my site). I own SO many quote books, it's ridiculous. Cracking one open and randomly turning to a page is sometimes all I need to reflect, refocus and go forward.
• Make sure that I am having fun. Creativity should be enlightening and enjoyable - not a task. If I'm not happy while I am doing it, I know I need to move onto something else.

At times, even utilizing one of these methods still leaves me stymied, but I have found that they can be effective when I am in the right frame of mind.

What about you? What do you do to get creative?

Send me your tips... I might need them to attack List #2.

Digital Art by dementeddesign