Creativity can be a delicate thing. 

And as a delicate thing, we creative beings have to take certain precautions to keep it alive, healthy, and thriving. We often do things to keep the inspiration around, but a lot of times we can be driving it away without knowing it.

There are a few things that I’ve noticed seem to drive any trace of creativity, inspiration, and motivation away. Now these are things that affect my creativity. It may not be the same for you. In fact, I know it won’t be. You might be able to relate to some of it, but everyone’s so different and their methods for staying motivated and inspired just as diverse.

But anyway, here are things that seem to dampen my creativity (by the way, I learned these things the hard way). 😉

01. Reading before writing

Reading a book gets you in the wrong mindset before writing, for several reasons. 1) If it’s in a different genre, POV, or tense, it will mess up your mind when you go to write. Once I had just gotten done reading a book in first person, present tense, then went to write my book, which was third person, past tense. I found myself writing in present tense without realizing it until a little while later. 2) It can mess up your writing style. After reading, you’ve just come off immersing yourself in someone else’s writing style and feel, which could cloud your own when you go to write. 3) It can make you feel bad about your writing. After all, you’re reading a polished, finished, edited and published book. And then you go to write your first draft, and everyone knows first drafts are messy. This can be discouraging, which is never good for your creative mind.

02. Doing a ‘left-brain’ activity before a ‘right-brain’

You may be a little confused about the whole left-brain-right-brain thing. I mean, I was before I researched it a little more. Basically, as I’m sure you know, different parts of the brain govern different things. It’s said that the left side of the brain governs things like logical thinking, math, remembering facts, and things like that. While the right governs things like music, art, creativity, facial recognition, and imagination. Take this test to see which side is your dominant side. (Share your results with me in the comments! I was 80% right-brain 🙂 ).

I heard it once said that it’s impossible to think creatively and analytically at the same time. Or at least, it’s really difficult. These sides of your brain are so different, and govern totally different things.

So wouldn’t doing a left-brain activity put you in the wrong mindset to write, which is a right-brain activity?

Doing some math problems doesn’t really put you in a mood to create. Listening to music might. Figure out different things that make you feel inspired and motivated and creative, and also things that really don’t stimulate that right side of your brain.

03. Giving in to procrastination before you write

Just like doing a left-brain activity will get you in the wrong mindset, giving in to procrastination and distractions does too.

It puts you in a distracted mindset. Instead, shove the distractions away, turn off the wifi (or whatever you need to do), and just write. Use things to get you in the mood for your book, like listening to a special playlist for it.

04. Not making time for procrastination

I didn’t give you whiplash, did I? 😉 Yes, you read that right. And yes, this may seem pretty contradictory to my last tip. But it’s a bit different…

In my opinion, our creative brains naturally like to toys with things. They like to work on new things and take breaks from a project to do something else. And that’s why breaks are important. Set a timer for a certain amount of time (say, 30 minutes) and write non-stop. When that timer goes off, set it again. Maybe 5 minutes. Use that time to let your brain wander. Think of it as a time for your mind to stretch and breathe before you get back to work. Then repeat this process. But be sure; once that 5-minute timer goes off, turn off the distractions. 

05. Comparing Yourself to Others

Nothing is more discouraging than comparing yourself to others and feeling bad about your abilities. This doesn’t make you feel like creating when you’re having doubts about yourself. Focus on your work and making it better. You may see something in someone else that you don’t have, but you have something in yourself that no one else does. Find that. And remember, no one can tell a story like you. Your writing is unique.

I hope that with these few tips, you will live a more creativity-filled life! Let me know down in the comments other things you know dampen creativity.

Write on,

What other things dampen creativity? What habits do you use to stay creative and motivated?

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