Physical movement is excellent for all aspects of your health. There are endless studies, statistics and experts I could quote to support that statement, but it’s something you likely already know and are making an active choice (or not) to add to your life. You probably also have a go-to exercise option, even if you don’t use it nearly enough.
So…I’m going to ask you to try something a little different. Just for a moment, set aside the obvious benefits of physical movement, and instead focus on how it impacts your creative reserves.
- Where do they come from?
- How do you replace them?
- What do you notice about your creativity or feelings of inspiration when you incorporate simple physical movement regularly into your life?
Truth: Creative inspiration is renewed the more you move. Physical movement can be full-out, hard-core exercise, but there are much easier ways to move the body that open up the energy channels and loosen the flow of your creative spark.
- You can stretch
- Tap your toe to your favorite music
- Do a full body shake to wake yourself up
- Try some jumping jacks
- Take your dog for a walk
…and millions of other simple things.
Small physical movements are just as important for health reasons, but even more essential for cranking up creative inspiration and moving out the stagnant energy that collects throughout the day. When it builds up, you are silently gathering all the necessary ingredients for a creative rut, that is just waiting for the right excuse to kick into gear and form a block.
Physical Movement Feeds the Heart, Mind and Creative Soul, Yet We Sit Most of the Day
Most people have a work day that consists of a commute, sitting in a chair all day, maybe a little exercise at the gym or a walk during lunch, to sit more in a commute on the way home in addition to managing family and other life responsibilities.
If they already work from home, the activities and responsibilities don’t change, but neither does the scenery. The place of work is their home, and work and daily life become intertwined into a unique dance that often doesn’t take a break (unless forced).
Then add technology to the mix. Instead of the 10 – 15 minute break people could take to stretch, walk or meditate, they may be using it to check their phone, email or social media accounts. The small moments that used to be seen as opportunities for physical movement are overshadowed by the compulsion to finish “productive tasks” instead. It’s a habit that needs to be acknowledged and transitioned into something that serves to feed your creative budget instead of draining it. Otherwise you are working to “replace” inspirational vibes instead of giving them the space to flow freely.
Use the Time you Have Instead of Complaining About the Time you Don’t
When you have a schedule that’s locked, loaded and already leading you by the nose, the only free time you may have are the small moments – so use them.
Put on your favorite song, rock out and dance. Play with your cat. Find a couple of yoga poses you like and run through them. Jog in place. Take some deep breaths. Find something that shakes up your day and your routine to help set creativity free in small doses and pick at least three times a day you can toss them in.
I often spend time laying in the grass on my back on all four sides of my body – front, back and each side. It’s grounding, comforting and gets me reconnected with nature and the things that inspire my creative flow within my body, outside of my head. It also gives me four ways to see things differently. It’s easy, fun and within a short time, I feel more open minded and fresh.
Creativity is a Flow, Not a Goal
Creativity is not a goal you complete as part of your work, it’s a way of being. Giant creative bolts are great, but rare, which is why it’s so important to connect with the creative flow that’s already running through you.
Physical movement is just one small way to reconnect with yourself throughout the day in little bursts, so that you can crank the fires of creative inspiration and set a practice in motion. Simple practice is what keeps your creative budget topped off and full. So have fun finding ways to fuel it up and let it out!
What are simple physical movements you add to your day to boost up the reserves in your creative budget?
* This post is part four of a series on Crafting a Creative Budget. Here are some previous posts on other creative budget must-haves – Creative Joy and Finding an Inspiring Creative Space.
Photo credit: leshoward, Carsten Knock, Mark Chadwick