Okay, so admittedly creativity and scheduling aren’t two things that you’d usually hear in the same sentence. But I think it’s a good idea to re-think that approach.

Here’s the thing. The whole wild, unplanned, spontaneous creativity thing is a really nice idea. And sometimes it still happens for some of us. I know for me, there are those times where I get a new wave of ideas all at once and it’s super exciting and awesome. But those times don’t come around as much as you (or I) might like. And if we wait around for those times to come, especially with all the real-life adult stuff that we also have to deal with on a day-to-day basis, our creative businesses will suffer.

So what can you do to encourage more of that inspiration and creativity? You can make time for it!

You can’t necessarily force those waves of inspiration to hit. But you know what they say about creativity – the more of it you use, the more of it you have. So! By doing other creative activities, which may more may not be related to your business, you can help along the creative process.

For me, every week I schedule time for things like knitting, painting, weaving, and lettering. I add in other things here and there. But those are some of my main hobbies – they’re calming, they’re fun, and they’re actually really important to my process even though I don’t directly use any of them in my day-to-day business/professional life.

So each week, I write those things into my planner right along with all of my regular work/business tasks. If I don’t, I usually don’t get around to doing those things, even though I enjoy them. It’s sad, but after a long day of working, even though a large part of my work is fairly creative, I just don’t go out of my way to spend time doing things if I don’t feel like I have to. And I don’t know about you, but if I write something in my planner I totally feel like I HAVE TO  do it. No question.

So my challenge to you for this week, fellow creatives, is to set aside some time where you can work on things that are purely creative. Whatever activity (or activities) you choose doesn’t have to directly help your business. You’re actually helping by just simply flexing those creative muscles!

There are so many different creative activities/exercises you can take part in. Here are just a few ideas:

• write in a journal (or a blog, if blogging is not a main part of your job)
• knit or crochet
• do some abstract painting
• sculpt something out of clay
• take photos around your home
• sketch some clothing designs
• try out calligraphy or other lettering styles
• do some freestyle weaving
• try out some new makeup or hair styles (I’m a firm believer this can be a really creative activity!)
• redecorate a part of your home
• doodle
• shoot a fun video
• play an instrument
• have a brainstorming session

That last one is one of my personal favorites. And I think it’s important to do no matter what industry you’re in or what type of creative activities you enjoy. If you’re feeling light on ideas, set aside some time to actually think about and come up with them. Don’t just wait for them to come to you! Just sit down and write anything that comes to your mind. Even if it seems dumb – it might turn into something bigger at some point! You can also use this time to go through old lists, blog post, Pinterest boards or any other sources of inspiration that you might keep around. This can kickstart your creativity and idea-making process, especially if you’re also doing some of those other creative activities listed above on a regular basis.

And you don’t have to pick the same activities to do every single week either. You can switch it up or keep it the same – it’s totally up to you! Just make sure that you actually write it down in your planner or type it into your calendar app or somehow add it to your to-do list. Make it official. And then actually follow through!

So what types of creative activities are you going to work into your schedule this week? Do you have any different ideas to add to the list above?