How to Find the Time and Space for Creativity

As a wife and part-time, work-at-home mom of five, time and space are two things that are in short supply. Living in a 1200-square-foot apartment means rarely, if ever, being alone. And time is something that gets eaten up by the near-endless demands of my little ones.

But despite these constrictions, I yearn for the time to spend in a quiet, peaceful place where I can create and think and dream. Devoting my entire day to the practical and urgent, throttles my creativity and a piece of my personality.

Whether you love to paint, write, cook, take photographs, build, sculpt, or one of a million other ways to express yourself, and regardless of whether you are even any good at it, being creative is an outlet and also a gift.

If you find yourself squelching the urge to get out and do something creative because it may not be on your to-do list today, consider that creative people are better at problem solving, and I don’t know a single person who couldn’t use some of that. It also makes you more adaptive and able to handle uncertainty. At work, creativity is an important and desirable attribute because fresh solutions are always needed.

I love writing, but finding the uninterrupted time to focus and really sink into it can be frustrating. And while a mountain retreat would be perfect, it’s probably not going to happen today. So, here are some ways to find the time and space for creativity in the midst of your real (busy) life.

• Create your own space. I know this isn’t always easy, but if I can cut out an area just for me in my little 2-bedroom apartment that I share with six other people, I think you can, too.

If you can’t swing your own room, pick an out-of-the-way area where you are less likely to be bothered, or bother others. Set it up with all of the things that you need: art supplies, pencils, notebooks, computer, etc. Make it your own.

I have commandeered one corner of our living room couch. Next to it, I keep my notebooks, binders, Bible, and whiteboard. My laptop charges in the corner. Everything I need to write, do my devotions or Bible studies, and keep track of my editing deadlines is right there.

• Warn others away. While this is up to you, I prefer not to have my young children rifling through my notes, looking for scrap paper to draw on. I’ve made it clear that my stuff is off-limits without permission and invitation. Even my 3-year-old can say, “No touchy the board.”
• Make the time. Now, your room/space is great, but if the kids are up and around, or your husband wants to spend some quality time with you, that space isn’t going to help you be creative. For that, you need the time.

You can go about this in three ways. One way is to shut yourself away while someone else is watching the kids so that you can do your thing when you feel the urge.

Another way is to make use of those hours that children are napping, at school, or down for the night, and when your husband is working or doing his own thing. These hours of your day, when the time is your own, can be used to work on that never ending to-do list… or you can take a day here and there to let the creative juices flow.

Or, last but not least, you can take your show on the road. Share a new recipe by cooking it at your friend’s house. Grab your camera and head to the park. Pack up your laptop and join the other writers for a latte at Starbucks.

The local library is my haven. I love being surrounded by books as I write. I grab a comfy chair by the window and set up camp. Sometimes, just looking over the titles on the shelves nearest me is enough inspiration to get my mind working. And my best writing is done in my head first, before I ever type a word.

• Prioritize it. We are all busy. Unfortunately. But so much of what takes up our day is not important, only urgent. Make space in your schedule for the time to be creative, doing something that you love and that renews you. There is usually at least one hour a day that we spend doing something that we could skip.

Treat your creative time like an appointment. You don’t no-show to your kids’ pediatrician appointments, do you? Neither should you blow off this time.

Being creative in your own unique and special way is a God-given gift. It’s meant to give joy to you and those you share it with. It can also be a refuge during trying times, a way to express yourself when words aren’t enough. I tell my husband all the time that all I want for holidays is a card, because the time and effort he puts into writing it is worth more than any gift that can be bought.

Creativity can improve your life so much. We all talk about improving our physical health, exercising and eating right. But allowing our minds to play can help our mental health. Studies even show that creative people live longer. It may just negate all those times your kids’ antics made you think they’d be putting you in an early grave.

 

Do you have any tips for finding time to be creative? What’s your favorite place to think, dream, and create? Let me know in the comments!

 

Need to turn inspiration into action? Ready, Set, Go!

1. Create a space. Make an area of your home all your own, devoted to your creative pursuits.
2. Keep it sacred. Let others know that this is yours so that you can feel free to leave your work out and know that it will be there waiting for you when you come back to it.
3. Make time. Look over your schedule and find things that are taking up your day, but not benefiting it. If you have to, leave your spouse in charge and go somewhere that you can focus on your art, whatever it may be.
4. Make it matter. Give your creative time the same respect you give your yoga class or your girls’ nights. Think of it as mental health time.