Creativity Brain Hacks

A few days ago, I wrote about my reasoning and motivation for diving into deep projects. I didn’t really get into how those things happen, though, and so I figured I’d give you a glimpse into what my creative process looks like.

I developed a few things I’ve begun doing to make it easier to dive into big projects. Some of these aren’t exactly revelatory. Some of them I got from Cal Newport’s “Deep Habits” study hacks blog, some of them I just figured out.

So, here’s my suggestions for Creativity Brain Hacks:

• Plan ahead.
  I complain I never have time to write, so I put my drafts where I can easily access them, any time, anywhere. If I know I’m going to have free time on Saturday, I plan on setting up something to work on. If I’m trying to maximize the days I ride my bike, I plan my meals and clothes accordingly (and check the weather), so all I have to do is get up and go.
• Set up necessary tools. (This is really “Plan Ahead” part 2)
  If I want to write music, and it takes me an hour to get my gear set up, I’ll run out of time. If I know I’m going to work on music, I’ll take time beforehand and set up my gear, so that all I have to do is turn it on and play. My creativity isn’t sucked away by fiddling with wires and things. I need to be able to sit down and get right to work.
• Work in short bursts.
  This one can backfire, so be careful… but I can only intently concentrate for about an hour at a time. When writing, I use a program called Write Or Die to 1. motivate me to write without stopping, and 2. set a time limit for me to stop. After 45-60 minutes I take a break, get a drink, stretch, etc. and then reset my timer for another run.
• Tune everything else out.
  I can’t write (or do music, or really do anything) with distractions. I invested in a decent pair of headphones that allow me to block out the rest of the world, and focus on the task at hand. I also keep earplugs in my desk! I find them helpful when kids are just being normal noisy kids, though I try not to work while they’re running around playing.
• Work environment.
  My desk faces a window; while I’m working, the curtains are closed. When I need to stretch my eyes, I open the curtains and look into the back yard. I have a comfy (rescued from the trash!) office chair. I keep water at my desk so I don’t have to get up if I’m thirsty. Basically, I remove anything that would give me a reason to get up.
• Set goals.
  If I sit down and think “I’m going to write a novel/produce an album in one sitting!” then I’m setting myself up for failure. I can’t do that. If I break it up into more realistic chunks, I have much more success. Like “I’m going to make a drum track for this song” or maybe “I can flesh out a chapter in this book” or even “I’m going to brainstorm ideas for song lyrics.” Keep it short, because my brain is on a time limit, and the clock is always ticking.
• Keep a notepad for ideas.
  I keep a journal just for creative ideas, so my brain isnt daydreaming about a particular project all day. If I have an idea, I write it down for future reference. Then, when I’m at my desk and prepared, I can do something productive with it.
• One idea at a time.
  I’m terrible for going off on tangents and not finishing my original project idea. There’s just so much to explore! But if I’m ever going to get things done, I have to stick to one thing at a time, or nothing gets finished. If I had a dollar for every unfinished project I started… I’d be independently wealthy.

Now, there are times when I can’t pull these things off, and I get very little done. It happens quite frequently, actually. But when I prepare correctly, I almost always have success. But these are what work for me. Let me know what your creative process looks like!