Crisis As A Muse:
8 Steps for Immunising Your Mind, Work Practise and Work Space, in Trying Times
Fires, flood, drought and now COVID-19!
It’s been a challenging time for all of us and it looks like there is a long road ahead.
Now is the time to use what’s happening as fuel to refresh!
Social Distancing and hand gel are now the new norm,
but that doesn’t have to mean fear.
Let’s flip it around and see it as an opportunity! This time of uncertainty can be also be a time to pivot by taking a fresh look at your outlook, your creative practice or small business, and your work space.
Throw open the windows and take a good look at everything.
Many entrepreneurs, artists, musicians and writers have produced beautiful, extraordinary,
provocative and shocking works with crisis as their muse.
Here are some ideas for cleaning up your craft, refreshing your workspace, and
making the head space to work during the current state of the world:
1. CLEAR THE CLUTTER
I don’t know about you, but this image makes me feel rather uneasy.
If your head is so jam packed with the crazy crisis, everyday crap and cracking ideas that you can’t fit one coherent thought in there, then here’s a great tip: Write. Them. Down. Yep, that’s it! Get your laptop out, put a note on your phone, or go old school and use a PEN AND PAPER! It’s always good to get them out of your head and in a place where you can have a really good look at them.
If your office/studio/desk space is so jam packed with the crazy crisis, everyday crap and cracking ideas that you can’t fit your laptop down somewhere: Clean. Your. Shit Up. Yep, that’s it! Get your bin out and put that paperwork you don’t need in it, get a bag out for shit you don’t need to donate, rearrange your crap to be more space efficient! It’s so fuckin good to get rid of that clutter to get your head in a place where you can look at your work space and not have a fucking anxiety attack.
It’s time to. Get. Your. Shit. Together.
2. CLEANSE, RINSE, REPEAT
Make a concerted effort to shift the energy in your work space and your brain space. There are literally a million ways that you can do this: get some flowers or plants to brighten it up, put a fresh coat of paint on the walls, get a new comfy chair, burn sage, hire a witch doctor, invite some friends over for a bottle of wine, cup of tea, shot of Todka (it’s a thing, toffee+vodka = what could go wrong?)
3. ELBOW GREASE IT
This image. Lol!
Did you have a nice set of projects, all sparkly and shiny, at the beginning of the year and then some how they got tucked shoved to the back of the cupboard getting dull and tarnished? Rescue them! Reach way back in to that dark place and pull them out in to the light. Give them a rub and a good long look. Air them out! Maybe they can be salvaged or maybe it’s time to let them go.
4. WASH YOUR WINDOWS
How are you viewing your practise? What do you see when you look out your ‘window’? Are you seeing things clearly? Is it time to wipe away the grime and smudges and see if you can get a new perspective? Mmmm… New perspectives. Delicious.
5. RECHARGE YOUR MOJO BATTERIES
For me recharging is with the biggest bad ass bitch of all time. Mumma Nature. But you do your thing, whatever brings your joojoo back!
Dial it back a bit - stare into space, go for walks, sit on the beach, organise the sock drawer, alphabetise the condiments, chill, Netflix, Netflix and chill… creating takes energy and TIME. Ideas don’t grow on trees, or is that money? Either way, take your brain off the boil, reduce the heat and simmer. Simmer time and the livin’ is easy…
6. THROW AWAY OLD, OUTDATED ATTITUDES ABOUT YOUR SELF-WORTH
Destination, town of FeelGood. Im pretty sure Gorillaz live there. Good place to be.
Okay, this one is big. Like, BIG! We all do it, so let’s shut that shit down! Create a new daily habit of meditating or gratitude journaling. Be thankful for anything big or small - the sunrise, the wind in the trees, that good friend, your smashed almond macchiato on gluten free toast. Looking at the world with gratitude will help you to recognise all the good in yourself and your work.
7. DUST OFF THE COBWEBS
Does it seem like you are on auto pilot. Same thing. Different day. Well, it’s a great big world out there filled with interesting people. Find a mentor, collaborate with someone, or start hanging out with a supportive network of cool people (uh hellloooo Nauti Studios!)