Everyone experiences a lack of motivation from time to time. On days like this, you might feel tired, irritable, or just unable to stir your usual interest in the things you typically enjoy to do.
We cannot pretend to have figured out the solution to this problem. However, we spoke to fellow Kreative, Lyn Bahati (Founder & Creator at House of Ndinda – an interior & design shop) who shares some glimmers of hope to hang onto in the midst of Kreative struggles.
Lyn Bahati - Founder & Designer House of Ndinda
This is going to sound so cliché but I don’t think there is a perfect ‘’one size fits all’’ solution to this. I know for a fact that depending on who you are as a creative, you could try a few things that could work for numerous fields of entrepreneurship especially the creative sector.
When I have a creative block, this is what I ideally do;
REST: I listen to my body and I take rest. During a creative block, there is a high chance you are exhausted limiting your mind from generating new ideas simply because you are fatigued. I always acknowledge that and take the rest I need for maybe a day or 2. (Whatever works for you?)
SEEK INSPIRATION OUTSIDE OF YOU: I personally know that sometimes seeking inspiration could mean that I have to go to a different space that is not my own for example; I have worked on a number of Endiro Coffee spaces so I make sure to seek out another well-made space by a unique creative for some inspiration. That inspiration could also come from pinterest, google or other sites that highlight things within your creative field.
GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING: In my journey of designing furniture & decorative stuff, I started out with things like mood boards that helped me visualize and conceptualize my creative ideas. Taking myself back to the concepts I came up with before the company got this big, is such an awakening thing. I used to do a lot of DIYs so most of the times when I find myself struggling, I will take on a small job; let’s say I will help a client do a cheese board something we are not currently necessarily doing as a company but because it reminds me of where I started & my ‘why’ which sometimes gets my creative juices flowing.
COLLABORATION: When you collaborate with like-minded people, you kind of get an outside opinion on things. Most of the time, creatives are stuck in their head so speaking to & working with other people, gives you a differenr perspective and take on things, creating a space for you to flourish. It takes you into a shift of excitement to create again.
GET PHYSICAL: Get into the habit of being physical. You can take a jog or run maybe once or twice a week or even try out yoga. Whatever works for you? Personally, I hit the gym often to get out of my head & just relax.
DO THINGS YOU ENJOY: Sometimes, I will pick up a good book and read. A lot of the time, there are some great ideas that sprout from the content you read or environment you strut in. So be observant while you are at it.
RE-STRATEGIZE: This keeps you thinking in terms of lines along your work. So acknowledge the fact that you might not be in the space to create effectively but in the meantime, you can review & re-strategize. This is actually a good time for you to reconcile and take stock of your company/brand.
WINE DOWN: Call a friend, have a good laugh, drink & just chill. I usually go thrift shopping with a friend of mine. It keeps me thinking and innovative without putting too much stress or pressure on me. Do an activity that is less stressful, more like relaxing your mind.
As creatives, do not give up because there is a lot of potential for us to thrive right now. From one creative to another, I send you good vibes and wish you the best on your creative journey.