These days it is so hard to focus when so many things around us compete for our attention. It is hard to sit down and have a moment of clarity and, to be able to listen to your own mind. It’s nearly impossible to have a creative moment that is not tangled in distractions.  Some people may still be able to be creative in this chaos but for me, I am most creative in the bored moments. As a child, I had such an imagination because I had no other choice.  It was easy to come up with things to entertain yourself when there were no outside forces constantly entertaining you. I feel the same as an adult. When I am free from responsibilities and outside distractions, it is easy to imagine a world of creativity.  But what if you are fixated on your device like so many people in society are today? 

I’ve learned a few things that help break my addiction to my distractions. I have learned that if I use my time to do something physical that does not require a lot of thought it helps me break my addiction in the moment and spark creativity. Taking time to turn off the television, turn off the computers, shut down the phones and just stay off social media, these things are highly addictive and once it gets a hold of your time it doesn’t let go but it’s not as easy as making yourself turn off your devices. I find I need a way to break my attention and do something else entirely. I have found that physical activity helps me refocus. I learned to do things like go outside in nature, if only for a few moments, look up at the night sky, walk around the yard or the block, clean and organize a small area of your home, perform some manual menial tasks that breaks the connection between you and your device. This works every time for me, I can get up and wash the dishes and instead of going back to my phone, I can then write a few sentences instead.

Even though I did not grow up with social media and cell phones, I hate that I feel equally addictive to it as the generations that did. It’s so alluring and effortless to be drawn in. I suppose television has the same addictive qualities which is why most people do not accomplish much outside of their day jobs, but the spell can be broken from both if you really put in the effort.  Menial physical tasks are a great way to draw your attention and use your hands and mind to break the bond that your phone or t.v. has on you. Doing something familiar that doesn’t take a lot of thought to accomplish, forces you to move your body and clear your mind of what others are doing on social media. The longer you stay focus on your physical task the easier it is to stay disconnected.

Everyone has the ability to be a little creative. It takes time to cultivate your own imagination and see where it leads you. Finding time and space to listen to your inner creator can be the difficult part. Put some energy into doing something physical that breaks the device addiction (if only for a while). I think you will find it a great way to help spark the creativity within.