Part One: The Power of your “Room” Photo by @alive_mag of @lttleoctopus
“The Big Four” for Creatives
Creativity is a hot topic here at Red Griffin. As a team of creatives in one of the most vibrant cities in the country, we have to remain conscious of how we are stimulating our creativity and allowing it to flourish in order to give our clients our best foot forward. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy. So how do we stay innovative while designing our 5th healthcare brochure of the week?
I want to share a few nuggets on how to bring your creative flow to life. This blog is going to be a four-part series on what we at Red Griffin consider to be “The Big Four” for getting your creativity going, because the struggle is real and the creative slump can be even realer.
Part One: The Power of your “Room”
When was the last time you entered a “room” like the DMV and left feeling the desire to create? Unless you had a run-in with a very specific character type, you probably didn’t jump into your car and write down an idea for the best new Netflix subgenre entitled “Late 1970s disco crime documentaries”.
Now think about this- when was the last time you had an unexpected visit from your creative flow? What did your “room” look like? Were you outside in nature or were you walking around your friend’s new office feeling envious of their glass desk and floor-to-ceiling windows. Did you see a logo you wish you had designed on a billboard? Did you talk to someone who reminded you of a business idea you shelved a few years ago? Did you read a tagline that came across your IG feed and say “No way! I thought of that first!” (We feel your pain.)
We love working at @eighthandroast
Something important has come to our attention.
A LOT of creatives have become comfortable in a “room” that is NOT stimulating their creativity.
There is so much we miss out on when we get comfortable with our daily routine. We have one of two breakfasts on any given workday which is more than likely just a cup of coffee. We drive the same route and talk to the same people. We know what we have to do and what we don’t want to do. And you know what suffers the most when we spend every day walking through the same rooms? Our creativity!
We’re so inspired by the interiors at @lttleoctopus | Photo by @lisadieder | Design by @design_bitches
Let’s go back to that creative flow. Now humor me as I ask you a few more questions I’m 99% sure you haven’t asked yourself yet.
Try to remember the “room” you were in when you felt it hit. Remember what the environment was like. Was there anyone around or talking to you? What were you wearing?
Were you standing or sitting or maybe walking around when you felt the creativity come alive? What did you see or hear that inspired you to actually get moving on an idea?
Was this a new idea or one you’ve had for years? Did you feel your heart race or your breath get heavier as you imagined the work that would go into this idea?
You know what I just did? I ignited your senses.
Whenever I’m feeling slumped with my creativity, the first thing I remind myself is that I have senses!! We all do. We just forget to utilize them and guess what? They’re the most helpful way to jump into all the subconscious information we tend to cancel out when we robot our way through our daily routines. Simply put: senses ignite creativity. And you know what the most subtle and effective way is to keep your senses alive? You guessed it: your room.
Education establishments all over the world have realized the importance of ‘the environment as a teacher’ and the ways an environment can stimulate creativity before a teacher even lets out a word. Classes are sporting empty “What I learned today” boards with the opportunity for students to decide for themselves what they found memorable from their day. Some schools are investing in flexible seating options to cater to the different types of learners in a classroom like this Nashville public school, Fall Hamilton Elementary. Bright colors and natural lighting are being implemented because it took this many years for people to realize that 6-8 hours of fluorescent lights don’t necessarily have a great effect on a child’s desire to learn.
Photo by @edutopia of Fall Hamilton School
The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover is yourself. — Alan Alda
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