Deadlines and creativity might seem like natural enemies, but they don't have to be. The ticking clock doesn't have to be a creativity killer—it can be worked around. It might even be the catalyst for some of your best work.
Understanding Creative Pressure
Creativity under pressure isn't about forcing inspiration. It's about creating the right conditions for your brain to do what it does best: solve problems and discover the right solution. Limitations can actually boost creativity in some cases, giving your brain a framework to work within and be inspired by. Time limits themselves can prevent one from going down the rabbit hole of overthinking, which often ends with procrastination.
Let your Brain go where it wants
It might seem like a waste of time to go for a walk or bake a pumpkin pie when a tight deadline is looming over your shoulder. It’s hard to complete your work, however, if all you’re doing is waking up, working, eating, sleeping, and repeating the cycle all over again. You will be surprised what happens when you let your mind wander; taking a break for an hour to bake the pie might lead to the solution you had been searching for. Give yourself small moments throughout the day to let your mind relax and focus on something else for a bit. Come back refreshed, and you’ll fix your problems much faster.
Templates and Preparation
When you’re bogged down with work, having material prepared or templated out will be a life-saver. Those scheduled social media posts will go a lot faster if you’ve made yourself a template. Using a design example, keeping a sketchbook of design concept and ideas might save your skin one day.
Change your physical environment
It is true that if you work from home, it’s massively helpful to have a dedicated workspace, particularly if it’s not in the room where you sleep. It can also help to move locations if you feel stuck or “icky” about the space you’ve been working in for a while. I regularly rotate between the dining table, my office, and the back porch, staying in the spot where I feel most productive until it feels right to swap.
Keep Learning
If some of your free time is spent learning a new skill, reading, or going on little adventures around your area, even if you don’t realize it, you’re doing “homework” for your business. You might learn about something you weren’t remotely aware of, which could turn into a brilliant little nugget that you can pull out for your work. It can be tempting to just crash after a long day of work, but finding some time to do something that keeps you inspired is worth it in the long run.
Don’t Limit Yourself
It can be hard to silence our inner critic. When we are children, we’re content to sit on the floor in our Tweety Bird pajamas scribbling on copy paper with a marker that’s half-dry. As we get older, we become more self-conscious and judgmental of our work. Keep a sketchbook where you scribble, and try and force yourself to not worry over how “good” or “bad” it looks. It might make it easier to ignore your inner critic if you never show anyone your sketchbook. Just let yourself zone out and listen to the sound of the pencil moving across the paper, making whatever you want to make.
Patience is a…Thing
Being creative on a deadline it hugely draining and can feel impossible to navigate if we’re just “not in the mood.” There is an upside at least— it gets a lot easier with practice. Your creativity is much like a muscle in the way that it gets stronger and more effortless to use as you flex it. If you feel as burnt out as a dying star, I cannot recommend The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. The content is useful for anyone who wants to create anything, for work or for pleasure. It’s an amazing tool to regain your creative energy and get excited about making things again.