Cut the crap: how to dig yourself out of the negative spiral that's killing your creativity

Lately it seems like my fellow creatives are having a hard time in life, and they aren't alone. We all struggle to cut out the crap and move forward with projects, and lately I've been feeling the pressure too.

When it rains, it pours: it seems like every aspect of my life has been thrown into a spin over the past few months. Between uncertainties about where we want to settle down, looming immigration issues, the constant and incredible pressure of trying to succeed at a ''day job,'' and the desperate ambition to succeed in a creative sphere has got me wound tighter than a cheap watch. (Cliche, yes, but true.)

This past weekend, I took a couple of days off work to focus on creative projects. I woke up early, ready to focus, and.4 hours later I realized I was still stressing about work and constantly checking work emails on my day off.

Yikes.

It's time to make a change. Creativity cannot thrive when you can't even focus on simple tasks. No wonder I haven't finished a project in months - I'm getting bogged down in details and planning, and not actually working on anything.

Actual image of me

Okay, so here's my plan. I'm going to cut the crap and clear out my brain. It's time to prioritize what's important and get some space to think.

1. Limit social media

Yes, it's important for networking, especially as independent creatives. But when you don't have hours of time to dedicate, you'll be snowed under before you know it. I recommend using social media scheduling platforms, like Hootsuite, to schedule posts across all the platforms that you want to have a presence on. 

When you want to work on a project, turn off the phone and step away from Twitter. If you need to use a computer to work, turn off the internet connection or use an extension like StayFocused to limit temptation. I find that I'm likely to check my phone, check Twitter, check my email, check Facebook, every time I have a 10 second lull while working. It kills my productivity, and it doesn't satisfy me to keep checking it. 

2. Disconnect from work

This one is hard, my friends. Many of us have jobs that require you to be on call and available to deal with problems. The best we can do is to try our hardest to not let the stress spiral eat our brains for dinner. Think about it - is there anything you can do about the problem right now? If not, then drop it. Refocus your concentration on your family and/or your creativity. 

I'm definitely not preaching - I struggle with this one, I struggle a lot. Sometimes I have to take a step back and use a piece of music that I love to calm my mind and prepare me for creativity. I'll be working on a playlist to facilitate focus and zen over on Spotify - you can find me by clicking here. Keep in mind, it's a work in progress, and I'll be adding stuff soon. One of my favorites is already on there: ''The Swings of Central Park,'' by Alexandre Desplat. 

3. Ditch the nay-sayers

They are everywhere. Family, friends, co-workers, strangers, and tragically, even mentors sometimes. I'm not suggesting that you totally cut off contact, but if someone is constantly being negative about your dreams, don't talk to them about it. 

Sometimes, the nay-sayer is your own brain. You can't ditch that, but you can try to kill off the brain bats with positive thinking. It's cheesy, but it's true. When my brain bats get to me, I listen to this song from the musical Title of Show. It's silly, but it has heart, and it helps. (Uh, if profanity offends you, maybe don't listen to this.)

4. JUST DO IT

Seriously. Just do it. It's not just an annoying Nike slogan, it's the truth. It's so easy to get buried under plans for projects, thinking about all the reasons you shouldn't do it yet because you could add x, y, and z, if you just wait another 6 months. 

Here's a secret - there is no ''in another 6 months.'' I've been planning on launching a YouTube channel since January. It doesn't exist yet, because I kept thinking about how I needed a better microphone, needed a huge recording setup, needed this, needed that....and then I realized that musicians are gaining legions of followers with a standard USB microphone, recording in their bedroom. 

Ouch. 

I realized that it's time to just do it. No more excuses, no more elaborate plans - the gear will come eventually, and I'll be over the moon to add it to my half-assed studio. But until then, I can't stagnate while I wait for the best time to start. Just like people say there's no good time to have a baby, there's no good time to start a project. Sometimes we just have to take a deep breath, close our eyes, and jump in the deep end. 

Come on in, friends. The water is fine.

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