How To Lead a Creative Life When Your Job Is Boring
I have a nine-to-five job. I get to work in the morning, do my thing, leave for home. Usually, I like my work. It can be engaging, challenging, and sometimes, like any other job, boring or frustrating, even.
During these times, when frustration, boredom, and disengagement emerge, having a creative or physical outlet can be life-saving. A place to channel your disappointment, an activity to kill your frustration, or an endeavor to bring your mind to its peaceful equilibrium. Hobbies.
Hobbies. Yes, we’d all like to have some. If not a few, at least one. But the most common obstacle to maintaining them isn’t motivation, budget, or skill. It is time.
You hear this very often: “If only I had the time, I would…”
You can also hear: “Well, I am not a creative person…”
I also like: “I am not good at this, so why bother”.
If only I had time, I would…
The most often used argument against taking up hobbies, yet the easiest to counter. Everyone has the same amount of time. My day, like yours, has 24 hours. It’s how we spend them that’s different.
Sure we have different jobs and errands to run which require different amounts of time, leaving us with either less or more time for creative hobbies. When you honestly break down your day, how much time is spent on meaningful activities, and how much time procrastinating?
Also, finding time is just a bad term. You can’t find it. There is no map, it isn’t stored anywhere. You can, however, make it. You can decide which portion of the day is most likely to accommodate the hobby you want to maintain.
The recipe for making time is this:
- decide which time of the day you will be creative (early in the morning, during lunch break, etc.),
- give up whatever you do at the time normally (sleep, lunch with colleagues),
- show up every day (make it a habit)
One of the best realizations I came across in past weeks was this: forming a new habit requires only one thing — doing it daily. It doesn’t matter if you spend 5 minutes or one hour on your creative hobby, what matters is you show up.
This will lead you towards two things. One, you’ll form a new habit and by this, also change your identity — you’ll become someone who is a painter, photographer, or a runner. Two, even if you do something for 5 minutes each day, the compound effect will lead you to do something for 35 minutes each week, which adds up to 1820 minutes, or 30 hours in just one year. Usually, you can find more than 5 minutes a day for something you love.
I am not a creative person…
I think everyone is creative. It’s just that those who believe not to be, haven’t given it enough thought and effort to explore their creativity. They don’t identify as creatives, therefore their lives are not led that way.
To lead a creative life, you have to identify yourself as a creative person. Creativity is a mindset. It’s looking for opportunities, showing up each day, taking action.
To become a creative person you need to do creative things. Doing something creative comes in many shapes and forms: make a painting, print a photograph, write a journal, take up a sport, train your dog, or do a DIY home project.
Being creative doesn’t mean you only have to produce something. Creativity lives on inspiration, therefore read, watch movies (purposefully), go to galleries, take long walks, meditate. Find your inspiration to fuel your creative engines.
I am not good at this, so why bother…
Been here, brother (or sister). Feeling unskilled stopped me many times from doing what I’d like to do. Not just at my attempts at creativity, but at my jobs, too. I never felt particularly strong at writing or photography. I do them because I enjoy the process.
Photography, to me, is where I find quiet alone time. When shooting street photography, my mind is completely present. I’ve never experienced this anywhere else, not while doing any other activities. Street photography requires absolute mindfulness and focus.
Writing is another form of creative outlet I find of great value. Writing helps me think clearer. It organizes my thoughts around subjects I find interesting. I write for myself. The desire to write propels my desire to read. You can’t do one without the other.
I am by far not an expert on either of my two creative outlets. I didn’t study literature, journalism, or photography. Whatever writing and photography levels I consider good, I am don’t think I am there.
It’s just the process I came to love, the mindful moments and clarity in my thinking I extract from it. Being creative isn’t conditioned by being good. There is no entry test. You just do it and enjoy the process each day, every 5 minutes.
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