How to stay creatively inspired during a lockdown

For some, it’s an excuse to not brush their teeth. For others, it’s to learn how to make that family paella recipe, practice meditation, or to finally enrol in that course that you just ‘never had the time for’.

Lockdown is an odd thing. As a creative, I find that I need structure to my day to function normally and feel as though my brain is operating. That’s not to say I haven’t felt the same quarantine fears as everyone else, i.e. scream-singing ‘Mr. Brightside’ while washing my hands for over a minute. But amid the madness, creatives are finding new ways to remain inspired. Here are just some ways to keep fresh while you need to literally think inside the box. And no, we don’t recommend watching Contagion. ? 

Read 

We know this seems painfully obvious. And no, we don’t mean reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy. But, while you’re no longer breaking up your day with long commutes, school runs and dedicated lunch hours – sample new lit that leaves you feeling inspired and helps you transition to this new way of working. We recommend Work Like a Woman: A Manifesto for Change by Mary Portas and The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg.

Learn a new skill 

Obviously, you have to use what you have to hand. It’s not like we can run down to the craft shop to finally learn how to basket weave. But, with online schools and LinkedIn Learning offering free trials, now’s a great time to pick up new skills to bolster your CV – or to just keep your mind feeling sharp.

Dance to the oldies, goodies or whatever the hell you want 

Now that you don’t have everyone’s judgement on your Spotify playlists, crank the tunes and dance like no one’s watching. I, personally, had a bit of a Peep Show moment recently and had a Mark Corrigan dance explosion circa series two. And boy, did that feel good. 

Keep safe

Of course, stick to government guidelines. But keeping safe also means keeping yourself healthy and sane. Learn to meditate, get into ASMR, practice self-care, run in circles in your back garden… The list is endless, so you don’t necessarily need to keep your mind ‘boxed in' to stay on top form.