For some of us, working at home is old hat – we have a workspace set up, a routine that just clicks, and if it weren’t for the total lack of social life and drastic dip in jobs, things would pretty much seem the same. For others however, the world flipped upside down and we had to do some major life adjusting.
But what to do with so much time at home? Whoever thought Netflix could get old?! With all this spring in the air and time on my hands I’m getting antsy – So let’s get up and get things done. Gotta love a good project!
10 tips to be more creative in your home
1. Create art – This can mean many things to many people, especially to us, who are all in creative careers. But what I mean is it’s time to really get back to your roots. Follow your heart! Think about what drew you like a moth to the flame of creativity in the first place and do that. Maybe you are now a videographer but your first love was gouache, or a copywriter who started out penning romance shorts at the age of 12… Do your thing!
2. Be a copycat – Like many a crisis throughout history, this one has inspired some pretty neat creative responses. One of my lighthearted faves is the trend of copying classic works of art. I’ve seen Mona Lisas, American Gothics, and even some highly involved Picassos!
3. Move your furniture – This is a great one to bring freshness into your life and get a whole new perspective on your living space. Get inspiration from interior design images on Skillmill and change the way your room looks and feels. Sometimes I even put things where they really don’t belong… just so things look different. Added bonus: Death to all dustbunnies!
4. Get busy in the kitchen – What better time to try out a new complicated recipe than now? You got time and if it goes wrong nobody will know. And if it goes right… you don’t have to share! Personally, I’m a wild child when it comes to the kitchen, always trying new things. I had frozen peas with honey just the other day and this morning I put chocolate chips in my coffee. (Verdict: time to switch to recipe reading.)
5. Try writing – Channel your inner author and write down the thoughts in your head. Putting your thoughts and emotions and thoughts down on paper can increase your sense of validation, calm, and control. When my lonesome daily life started to veer into 4 am marathon movie watching and laundry piled as high as in college, I actually used journaling to get things back on track (it’s ok, my sweatpants are clean now).
6. Learn a new language – Well, ok, maybe not the whole language. But you could start out with some easy quips for your next vacay, or brush up on your high school Spanish. I’m isolating alone, so I’m actually considering brushing up on my native tongue of English!
7. Learn a new craft – Interested in sewing or knitting? Well, now is the time to learn. You could design yourself new clothes, or redesign old clothes. Again, take advantage of the isolation total benefits here… it doesn’t matter what you look like!
8. Expand your work skills – You could do this be enrolling in an online class, doing a tutorial, or finding someone to collaborate with. I’m studying up for my legal translation certification and an illustrator friend of mine is finally learning how to animate her drawings. Don’t forget to update your Skillmill portfolio with any new work and collaborate with other creatives!
9. Network, network, network – Take time to connect with your clients and colleagues. Many of them are alone, some may be struggling more than we know. A kind and thoughtful hello could be just what they need to brighten their day.
10. Connect with nature and take a deep breath – This means very different things depending on where you are… but even the biggest cities have a spot of green somewhere!
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