Creativity Going In Quarantine:
Coping in style in this time of crisis
Writers write, with or without a global pandemic. I bet your writer’s brain has never stopped plotting twists or weaving a new story during all of this self-isolation. What better time to sit down and work on a particular story – even get it published online – than now when life as we know it is at a standstill?
As Australian motivational speaker, success coach, self-help author and entrepreneur Sam Cawthorn has said, “Crisis moments create opportunity. Problems and crises ignite our greatest creativity and thought leadership as it forces us to focus on things outside the norm.”
It seems people, in general, are most creative in times of crisis. We see folks who are 3D painting medical parts that are in short supply; doctors positioning COVID-19 patients on their stomachs to help increase the amount of oxygen getting to their lungs; ordinary moms and dads who are homeschooling their kids through the mayhem, to mention a few.
There is a psychology behind this surge of creativity, it seems, and according to an article in Psychology Today, here are some of the reasons:
- Creativity is a defense against feeling helpless.
- Creativity is a defense against feeling helpless.
- In a crisis, there’s a sense that normal rules don’t apply, so people feel more free to be creative.
- When facing a crisis, people ask themselves, “How can my skills, resources and knowledge help this problem?” Sharing knowledge becomes imperative.
- The urgent and the important are better aligned in a crisis.
Got a lot of time in your hands? Pull a Shakespeare!
For writers, if you feel like you’ve achieved very little recently, take some inspiration from good old William Shakespeare, who reportedly made use of being quarantined during the plague outbreak to write King Lear, Macbeth and Antony and Cleopatra. No big deal? Yeah, right.
So we can’t all be Shakespeare. None of us can even compare to The Bard. But surely, we can learn a few things from his experience – like how to kill all that time inside our homes and make good use of it for one.
How about finally dusting off that short story or novel you’ve been aching to write? If Shakespeare is not enough motivation, the following points can serve as impetus to your creativity drive:
- Appreciate that your whole environment – inside and outside your home – is serene and remains as is day in and out. You can stare out your window any time during quarantine and enjoy the peaceful canvas of just trees and stray animals in the streets. You can even enjoy the sound of the wind and birds chirping from your balcony or rooftop.Use the different stories of courage, sacrifice and love that you see and hear on TV as plot twists to your story.
- Reconnect with someone who you’ve missed and thought of for a long time and get that heart-to-heart conversation going. Recall good times, say sorry, share your fears – who cares what topics you talk about? Just open your heart to each other.
- Makeover your home office. If you’ve been feeling uninspired in your space, it’s time to do some magic in it: Allow for some natural lighting to flow in. Get yourself a comfortable chair. Set your desk up for function to allow you easy access for things that you may need and use often (I.e., specific files, printer, planner, reference books). Hand pictures, posters and decor on the walls. Surround yourself with items that motivate like family pictures, inspiring quotes, your favorite stuff toy, a vision board, and other items that bring you joy.
Again, it’s important to go back to the principle that solitude – especially when pursued by choice – offers many psychological benefits. In the hustle and bustle of life before COVID-19, solitude was a luxury hard to come by. Now that it’s here, soak in it. Take advantage of it. Live it. We don’t know how long this will last.
After all, the need to self-isolate need not be a burden.