We have a guest blogger with us this month. Linnea Gradin who is part of the Reedsy team and is a freelance blogger. When she suggested that she write a blog on managing stress, I thought for a moment she must be clairvoyant, or a witch, because that is just what I need right now as I’m going through a house move that is the most frustrating and drawn-out move I have ever made – and I’ve made a few in my time. So here is what Linnea has to say and we can try it out and see if it works.
How to Keep Your Creative Spark in Times of Stress by Linnea Gradin
Sometimes, it can feel like there’s no end to heartbreak: between devastating world events and the personal struggles we all go through during different seasons of our lives, it can be difficult to maintain our creative spark at all times. But writing can be a fantastic outlet for both the joys and sorrows of life, and perhaps it’s exactly when we don’t feel like writing that we most need it.
So, how do you safeguard your creativity from the chaos of current affairs or other stressors? Slowly, gently, and with patience. Let’s look at some approaches that can help you.
Address the stress
Even on good days, creativity doesn’t always flow abundantly. It often flourishes in the appropriate environment and with the right stimuli, but stressful situations can disrupt that, and coming to terms with this reality is the first step toward keeping your creative spark.
Current affairs are beyond our control, but that doesn’t mean we can’t decide how to react to them. The same thing goes for external stressors in our own lives. Did your boss give you a hard time at work today? Or did you have a falling out with a friend? Recognise that while you might not get your best writing done today, it is the process rather than the end result that holds value in this moment.
Start by creating some degree of normality in your space: tune in to your own needs and try to understand how you might better nurture yourself — for example, by sleeping more or taking a walk without using any headphones. Listen to your own needs before you listen to the news to keep in touch with your creativity. And allow yourself to write nonsense; at this very moment, it is not your job to solve all of the issues of the world. Coming to terms with this makes it easier to come to the table even on the days when you think what you’re doing might be futile.
Throughout the day, stay grounded by having designated times for working and relaxing. This rhythm will hopefully get your mind focused on new ideas and how to implement them, rather than frantically bouncing between them and endless worries.
Mull things over
With less stress, you’ll hopefully see some room open up in your schedule. What you can do with that time is explore your ideas in greater depth. In other words, focus on quality rather than quantity — coming up with just a few thoughtful solutions to problems or new things to try is much more gratifying than having several undeveloped, unrealistic, ultimately stressful ideas.
Many people find it easiest to organise their thoughts through writing, whether that be in the form of bullet points, mind maps, or freewriting. Journaling is a wonderful way to tease out your ideas, for instance.
Talk to someone
If you’re having trouble concentrating, talk to your colleagues, friends, or fellow creatives about your situation. Even if they aren’t able to help you practically, speaking to someone can help alleviate feelings of imposter syndrome or the feeling of carrying everything on your shoulders. Being open and honest can remove the shame from a situation, and turn it instead into a space where people can step in and offer you guidance or assistance.
Beyond helping you face whatever’s blocking you squarely and honestly, speaking to someone can also lead to practical help: if it’s an endless to-do list that’s overwhelming you, an accountability buddy with some outside perspective can help you break past that paralysis by motivating you to set your goals for the day and figure out which tasks to prioritise.
If your problems go deeper than procrastination and lack of focus, there’s never any shame in speaking to a therapist — they can offer professional guidance to identify what’s causing your difficulties, and suggest ways to move forward.
Do some creative discovery
Books are a classic way to get away from unpleasant thoughts: if you have the space in your brain for it, you might want to intentionally step away from your own writing for a week or two and make a dent in your reading list. Even better if you check out genres you usually don’t read for some new inspiration.
But if you still feel the urge to create something yourself, why not try writing without self-editing? At the very least, you’ll be sharpening your creativity and becoming a better writer. And who knows: perhaps that gripping whodunit you just read has inspired you to step out of your comfort zone and write your own crime fiction novel.
Some exploring can also help your creativity: go to a town you’ve never visited before, or if you live in a big city, go to its historic parts and take a guided tour. There’s no shortage of wonderful things you might discover when you least expect it!
Whatever you do, be patient with yourself: don’t fall for toxic narratives telling you to “attack” your wandering mind. It may work for a day, but ultimately, a mental good cop is a lot more sustainable than a bad cop. Give yourself time, and this, too, will pass.
Linnea Gradin is a writer with Reedsy, a marketplace that connects authors with the world’s best publishing resources and professionals like editors, designers, and ghostwriters. She’s written articles about everything from how much ghostwriters make and how to become a proofreader to insights into working in publishing. When she’s not reading or writing, she can be found exploring the local cuisine of whatever country she finds herself at the moment.