Instructional designers and learning professionals are creative by nature. We are called upon to be creative with technology like Articulate, Camtasia, or Captivate. More often than we would like, organizations, red tape, and clients require us to be creative with timelines and budgets. Being creative is a core qualification and requirement of our work. So, what do we do when we feel like the creative river has run to a trickle or dried up entirely?
Reframe your idea of 'creativity'
First, it's essential to acknowledge that creativity comes in many different forms, not just the art class variety we associate with being creative. For instance:
- If you look at a spreadsheet full of learning management system data and see the story it is trying to tell, that is thinking creatively with data.
- You can be creative with a calendar when you see priorities mounting up and scheduling conflicts proliferating, and you can successfully smooth it out.
- You can be a collaborative creative when you can find common ground with others and help make connections.
It is essential to recognize that creativity comes in many different forms because it makes you realize how often you are being called upon to be creative outside of designing eLearning or creating a slide deck. Once you begin to see how creative you are outside of designing content, it helps you give yourself grace when you feel like you've found yourself in a creative rut.
Identify drains on creativity
Next, you can think about what is draining your creative energy. Are you most creative in the morning, and that seems to be when everyone puts meetings on your calendar? Or do you get into a flow and then get distracted by your inbox or Slack pinging you? Do you find yourself pigeonholed on specific projects because that's what you're known for, so you aren't able to explore other technologies or techniques?
Once you can identify activities or habits that affect your ability to think creatively, you can address them. Perhaps you need to block your calendar a few times a week to give yourself space. Maybe you need to speak with your manager or client and let them know that you will check emails at certain times to avoid being distracted all day. The first step to being able to set a boundary for your creative self is to understand where you need a boundary.
Boosting creativity
Now that you have begun to recognize how creative you are and have started to set boundaries for yourself and others, what are some easy techniques you can use to start feeling more creative?
1. Second chances
We all have a project that we worked on, and if only we had been allowed to break brand guidelines or been given just a little more time, we could have taken it to the next level.
Open your old projects and skim through them. Pick a project that interests you and where you can redo one area. It could be changing the font in a workbook or playing with the kerning. You could redo the animations on a slide that didn't hit quite right. Or maybe you can try new motion paths or emphasize the effects of that eLearning you turned in. Whatever it is, focus on one particular design area and play with it.
Why does this work? You already know the content and the intended audience, so you have no pressure to get up to speed. There are no timelines, budgets, or clients hovering over your shoulder to get it done, so you can do this just for yourself. Additionally, when you focus on one area of the design to improve or play with, you avoid feeling overwhelmed.
2. Buddy system
How often has a fellow designer shown you their work, and you think about how you would have designed it? So why not pair up and swap old projects? This follows the same method as the second chances approach, but you are working with someone else's material this time. Get together with a friend or colleague, agree to exchange work, and then review your designs.
Why does this work? When you bring someone else into the fold, whether it is for a New Year's resolution or a habit you are trying to start, having someone else there to hold you accountable helps you make the time and incentivizes you to go through with the task. This approach also enables you to see behind the curtain of someone else's creativity and can inspire you to think about design from a slightly different perspective.
3. The road less traveled
Our lives are busy, and it can feel easier to go with the tried-and-true approaches to help save mental space. But that monotony can also work against us. Try to incorporate one small change into your routine each week. For instance, when you pick the kids up from school, take a slightly different way home. Or, if you always run the same trail, try to run it the opposite way. Maybe you pick up an ingredient at the grocery store you would not usually use and incorporate it into a recipe. You can rearrange your desk, wear mismatched socks, or change your shower time.
Why does this work? Small shifts out of the ordinary can cause our brains to fire in new ways and reawaken our curiosity. When we consciously change our normal approach to life, even in a small way, we notice the little things more acutely. Something as small as taking a meeting from the kitchen instead of at our desk can help re-energize and shake up our day's standard, everyday patterns.
Start small
These three practices can take as little as a few minutes to as much as a couple of hours to help you feel creative again. The first step is to appreciate the daily demands that you have on your creativity and then recognize where you can set a boundary to protect your creative self. At that point, you can begin playing with these games and others to help you grow and thrive as a professional, creative person.
Image credit: arthon meekodong