Creatives are creatures of habit. We often work alone. And we have processes and routines.
But when those routines become stagnant, creativity also becomes stagnant.
In order to boost creative output, you need to get out of your comfort zone once in a while. Shaking up your normal creative process challenges you to adapt and try new projects.
ROUTINE IS A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD
Most successful artists and creative entrepreneurs say consistency is the key to making your name in the creative world. That requires a steady routine. You have to show up and do the work.
Having a routine for your creative work makes your progress easier.
Consistency equals completed projects. Working at the same time, the same place, and having the same process builds your business.
However, when a routine becomes too rigid, creative output slacks off. Focusing too much on regular habits means some missed opportunities for creative challenges. Structure builds professional habits. But missing out on moments of observation and change can mean missed ideas.
BENEFITS OF GETTING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE
Being in your comfort zone is great because… well, it’s comfortable.
But that structure also means change causes disruption. And, it means when unexpected things knock you off your schedule, you feel lost and anxious.
1. Learn to think differently
With a regular schedule, whether you’re writing, playing music, or preparing client files, your brain gets used to doing the same thing. While consistency is important, if you never allow yourself to do things differently once in a while, you get stuck. As a result, you never challenge yourself to learn new things or expand your creative and money-making opportunities. Taking an occasional leap from your comfort zone, your brain works to make connections between the new sights and sounds. And, you become more comfortable with different types of work.
2. Learn to handle the unexpected
Familiar routine, environment, people, and types of work provide a safety net. We know those around us have accepted us. And we feel pretty secure in knowing we have the skills to do the work. But when something happens that upsets that sense of normalcy, dealing with change makes us nervous. By getting outside that comfort for short, designed periods of time, you learn to better handle unexpected changes. The next time your schedule gets thrown out the window because of a sick child or a client that asks to change something mid-project, you’ll be better prepared to adapt and maintain your creative energy.
3. Learn to prevent complacency
In spite of the amazing things the human brain can do, let’s face it. Our brains are really kind of lazy when we let them be. (Netflix and chill anyone?) Biologically speaking, the brain wants to keep us safe. It wants to expend as little energy as possible. So if you stick to the same routine and ideas all the time, your brain is happy. But it’s also easy to become complacent. If your process works, why change it, right? The problem is, when you get complacent in your creative pursuits, your brain stops thinking creatively. It gets used to the status quo. Getting outside your comfort zone forces you to rethink your current process to look for improvements.
4. Learn through rejection
One of the hardest lessons for creatives involves rejection. When you get turned down, you start questioning your talents. You wonder if you’re really good enough, and fall into the comparison trap. By taking a chance to step outside your comfort zone occasionally, you learn to take risks. You learn to reach out to others who you think are out of your league. And while being turned down, or having a critic tell you they don’t like your work hurts, putting yourself in those positions in controlled setting helps you navigate future professional rejections. You’ll learn that when someone says no, it’s only about their personal preferences; it’s not about your value as a person or your creative and business skills.
HOW TO BREAK OUT OF YOUR CREATIVE COMFORT ZONE
Breaking out of your comfort zone in a big picture sense can be something as dramatic as moving across the country to start a new job. Or, it can be something as small as taking a different route to work. Anything that shakes up your normal routines and processes.
For creatives and entrepreneurs, getting out of a comfort zone centers around the type of work you do and where you work.
Some options…
Change your view – Many of us work in the same place everyday. Whether that’s a home office, a co-working space, or a coffee shop, the location where you work sets the tone for your comfort zone. If you change up where you work occasionally, the different environment provides opportunities for new sights and sounds. Thus, your creative instincts kick into overdrive trying to figure out how to incorporate those images into a new project, or how to reach those people as potential clients. Try a different coffee shop. Go to the library. Rent a co-working space a couple days a month. Go to the park and work outside when the weather is nice.
Change your project – Most creatives are drawn to certain genres, mediums, and sounds. And if you’re an entrepreneur, I’m guessing you have a pretty clear idea of what you want your business to look like. But allowing yourself to think outside of those preferences and expectations challenges your creative skills. Try writing a short story in a different genre. Try painting a realistic image if you’re used to the abstract. And if you’re a business owner, think about ways to reach someone outside your target audience.
Find an accountability partner – Most creatives do the majority of their work alone. It’s hard to let others see your work or share your ideas until they are finished. And even then, bracing for feedback makes your heart pound. Instead, find a trusted colleague to serve as an accountability partner throughout the process. One, you’ll have each other to be accountable to make sure you keep working. But two, you’ll have someone to provide regular feedback. Sharing your work mid-project is scary. But by challenging each other to complete projects and work through the messy middle together, both of you will ultimately produce better work.
Go on a retreat – If you want to do something more significant to get out of your comfort zone, plan a creative retreat. When I was in graduate school, working on my thesis, I found myself getting distracted by everything at home. It was too easy to play with my cat, or go to the kitchen for a snack. When facing a deadline to complete a large section, I actually booked a hotel for the weekend. Not a fancy, room-service hotel. A basic, no-frills place. The lack of home comfort meant I had little else to do but work on my thesis. If you have the financial means and the time, getting away for a creative retreat offers the chance to get out of your normal environment for an extended time. You literally get away from those things that comfort you at home or regular work space. No fully stocked kitchen, video games, or co-workers stopping by to chat about the latest episode of your favorite television show. Just a sparse room, a desk, and your work.
The next time you start to feel your creative energy draining, look around you. Think about your schedule, your process. While having consistent work spaces and time helps you maintain progress on your work, sometimes you need to get out of that comfort zone. You need to shake up your routine once in a while.
Taking a calculated risk to try something new might be uncomfortable. But in the end, you boost your creative energy and learn to better handle unexpected interruptions.
**What is your comfort zone? How can you take small steps to get outside that zone once in a while?**
Reignite your creativity!
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