CREATIVITY DURING COVID TIMES
May 1st, 2020
Is it okay if i’m not coming up with ideas to save the world?
We’re in some tough times right now. I didn’t have to tell you that, because I know you already know. But I just wanted to start off my blog with stating it.
I recently went on a walk, and crossed a normally busy street. There were no cars in sight. I then went to Tim Hortons just to feel a sense of normalcy (the first Timmies I’ve been to since the lockdown). All the chairs were up, employees had masks on and no customers were in sight. Whenever I walked past someone, they’d go on the street, or I would. This is all good and necessary in order to flatten the curve, but at the same time strange.
We’re social beings that crave social interaction, and that makes it so weird when people try to get away from you. It’s so weird when you can’t even see your best friend and give them a hug. It’s so weird that you can’t go to the bar for a drink. It’s so weird that I’m teaching my parents how to use zoom. Weird. Weird. SO weird.
It’s so weird, that I’m in shock, and I’ve been in shock for the past few weeks. And it manifests in that tight feeling in my chest, and the struggle to sleep at night, even though I am dead tired. I’ve never felt this way before, and I don’t know how to handle it.
And of course, being a creative, the pressure to create more more more is through the roof. I have my waves where I’m paralyzed in anxiety and stress. And then on the days that I’m feeling good, I push the hell out of myself to be productive. I’m also very lucky to be employed right now. That keeps me busy and my mind off things.
Here are my thoughts on creating during these COVID-19 times.
I really do think that it helps to come up with something/ do something that makes you happy. Something that brings you joy and that you’re passionate about. It will get you in your “flow mode”, which is also known as the 'zone'. It’s the mental state during an activity you’re fully immersed in. It gives you a full feeling of focus, full involvement, and enjoyment. It’s when time passes by so quickly that you don’t even notice it. I know for me, it happens when I’m painting, writing, and even mocking an idea up. These activities are usually creative, and can really get your mind off of things. They can be simple creative hobbies such as: drawing, writing a short story, playing an instrument, finger painting, mastering a new makeup look, designing a tattoo. You don’t always have to be coming up with ideas for the Covid crisis or other big problems in the world.
And when you’re really feeling stuck, anxious and stressed, you can take a break. Watch a movie, read a book, watch something funny or look on the internet for inspiration. There are so many cool things people are doing that could give you inspiration for a future project as well as get your mind off this crisis we’re in. Don’t kill yourself if you can’t be super creative. Be kind to yourself. It also helps to do something simple, like go for a walk, or even help someone out. Altruism is incredibly powerful. It can be simple, like sending a family member a nice e-mail. Calling a friend. Staying connected can help us get through.
And just remember, it’s okay not to be 100% creativity productive. You can still be creative, but when you feel like you’re overwhelmed, it’s okay to stop and do something else. These are unprecedented times for us all. Everyone reacts differently, and don’t give yourself sh*t for not being crazy productive. If you don’t figure out a creative solution to help us with Covid/bring us all together/find world peace/ fight climate change. It’s okay.
Just start small, and with what makes you happy.
- S.