5 Steps to Increase Your Creative Focus | Create Today with Beth Buffington
Take advantage of all the offerings at Create-Today:
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[00:00:00]
Hello, my creative friend. Welcome to another episode of Create Today with Beth Buffington. Happy new year. If you are listening to this episode on the day it drops, today is January 2nd, 2025, and we are looking at an entirely new year ahead of us. And quite often, this is the time where we think. New year, new me.
What will I do with myself this year? So this is not going to be an episode all about resolutions and setting new goals, but something that's going to help you get to your goals and make you feel stronger and more confident as a creative is what we are going to talk about today. So welcome my friend, settle in, [00:01:00] get your favorite drink and let's get started.
Today, we are going to talk about five simple steps that you can follow to increase. your focus.
with this newly improved focus, you are going to be ready to reap the benefits of better creative results and a happier you in heart, mind, body, and soul. If this sounds good, then lean in my friend and let's get started. Now, how often do we think this to ourselves? Oh, wow. I just need to focus.
I just need to focus. I need to get my mind How often do we think that? Our busy brains, instead of focusing on the task that we would like to get accomplished, we're quite often busy thinking about. Anything and [00:02:00] everything that keeps us from putting just our creative hat, jauntily on our head. And then when I say just our creative hat, I'm going to tell you a quick story.
I did this illustration for a birthday card years ago. It was an ink drawing of a woman wearing five hats on her head. She's wearing a chef hat. She's wearing a chauffeur cap, a referee hat, a maids headband. And for the sake of the birthday card, she was also wearing a party hat with a festive pom pom. she's in addition to these five hats.
She's also holding a briefcase and a laundry basket in her hands. And I did another version of this same illustration where the woman is also holding an infant and she has a toddler wrapped around her knees. These illustrations were so popular at that time that I did a third version for a veterinarian magazine for a woman veterinarian.
And this was, uh, an [00:03:00] illustration of a woman who was simultaneously multitasking home, family, and career. And she was smiling happily as she makes this multitasking look. Effortless. All the women in these illustrations were labeled superwomen. You know, the one who was successfully doing and having it all.
Having it all, that was the phrase and that was the goal. And in order to have it all, you needed to do it all. And it was encouraged that you did it all at the same time. My friend. we have now learned that you can't do it all, especially at the same time. These illustrations were drawn back in the day when multitasking, especially for women was thought to be a skill that could be learned and honed and used constantly.
And if you weren't using it, you [00:04:00] probably weren't doing all that you could for all the people that needed all the things This multitasking was considered to be the secret to having a house, a family, and a career. If you wanted to be successful, if you wanted to have it all, but at what cost?
Multitasking has since been deemed not a magic wand. No. As someone who has been awake in the middle of the night planning how to get 15 hours of work done in an eight hour day, I'm here to say that when it comes to our creativity, my friend, We need to simplify. we need to focus on just the process of being creative Simplifying will provide great things for your creative life. So in this podcast, we're going to explore what you can do to [00:05:00] be better at having
thing. So we're going to talk about five Powerful yet simple steps to actually have creative focus whether you're a seasoned artist who is setting goals to sell or license your work,or you're renewing a creative passion to help relieve stress.
and increase your happiness in heart, mind, body, and soul. These five steps will help you focus and tap into your unique creative power. So first, in order to be better at focusing, I think it's super important to understand why it is so hard to focus.
Focus, the actual act of focusing, can be very elusive. It is kind of like trying to find [00:06:00] and then hold onto a bar of soap in a bubble bath. It's so slippery. So let's, let's look at a bit of science behind why focus is so difficult. And let me say these three words, shiny object syndrome. Creative focus is a challenge because of how the brain processes distractions, right?
prefrontal cortex that is responsible for attention and decision making. It competes with the brain's natural tendency to seek whatever is new, or shall we say shiny, or what might be considered better. It's actually a survival mechanism from our evolutionary past. So, in addition to shiny objects as a distraction, modern [00:07:00] technology that surrounds us daily constantly teases and pokes at our focus with a barrage of pings and dings and chimes about notifications for what is deemed very urgent information.
So FOMO, the fear of missing out. Keeps our brain in a state of perpetual partial attention and research has shown that multitasking reduces efficiency and inhibits the ability to enter a deep creative flow, making focused creativity harder to achieve without a conscious effort.
So, okay. Knowing these facts will make it easier to know that incorporating the five steps we're going to talk about, it's going to make a difference in not only the results of your creativity, but in your wellbeing. So let's get started with these five steps. Step number [00:08:00] one, get rest to renew your energy.
I know this sounds really simple, but it is. How many of you are actually getting the amount of sleep you need, the amount of rest you need? How many of you are staying up late and trying to get up early? How many of you are not getting good sleep during the night? You need to investigate what is keeping you from sleeping or why you're not sleeping enough.
And you're going to find that when you sleep better, your creativity is easier to focus on. Scientific research indicates that sufficient rest is essential for reaching creative potential. It supports memory, emotional regulation, problem solving abilities, attention restoration.
All these things are so important for your mental health and [00:09:00] your creative productivity. When you are well rested. You enhance your creative capacities. It's the difference between having one paintbrush and 2, 500 paintbrushes to choose from. Nice. So here are some easy ways to rest your creative spirit.
The first one is so simple. My friend, get a good night's sleep. Get your butt in bed or find time during the afternoon to take a nap. When you feel like you're flagging, nothing restores the brain's ability to focus, like getting some good zzzz's. Number two, mindfulness and meditation engage moments of quiet will calm your mind and help you reduce stress.
Number three. Physical exercise, even moderate movement can boost your energy levels and improve your mental clarity. And I know this sounds like the opposite of getting rest, [00:10:00] but it actually helps energize yourself and rest is all about renewing your energy. So getting exercise is a form of strange rest.
Yes. And here's step number two, embrace your curiosity and allow yourself to be playful. When you have time to create, you need things to do. So look for them and find things that excite your curiosity. Because if you're not interested in what you're trying to do, you're not going to be able to focus on it.
If it is something that you are totally excited about, you are going to dive deep into whatever that activity might be. So find things you want to do. I know it sounds simple, but if you're currently working on something that doesn't interest you, doesn't excite you, don't do [00:11:00] it, start a new project that really lights you up.
And that is where you should spend your time. Studies in psychology highlight how being playful and excited about a project stimulates the brain's reward system. This fosters more innovation and brings a sense of delight. And this is going to help you pull away from Other shiny objects that are begging for attention.
So here are some easy ways to add creative play into your day. Number one, It's keep a notebook or notebooks handy. So when you see something that you are like, Whoa, that looks fun.
Write it down. If you have a great idea and you don't write it down, then later when you have time to create, all you're going to remember is that you had a great idea, but you don't remember it. write it down so that when you have time to work, you will remember that great idea.
Number two, just try a simple activity when you get started with your creative time, [00:12:00] like doodling to allow your brain to wander creatively. This will help access new ideas or find solutions if you're feeling stuck on something. And number three, when you are in creation mode, let go of that feeling that you have to be and just have some fun.
It's okay to be sloppy. It's okay to be messy. The more you work, the messy you are, the more excitement you're going to have, the more solutions you're going to come up with. And the more you work, the better your work gets. And that is when you find those masterpieces.
And step number three, and this one is really important and that is do something every day.
say for 15 minutes, but do it every day. And if you know you need to do something every day, the other thing you want to do is keep it simple so [00:13:00] that it's not really hard.
You don't dread it. You are looking forward to doing whatever it is you've chosen to do every day. Research shows that a daily creative routine will form neural pathways that enhance your creativity. And when you set the bar for fun, you'll find it easier to accomplish this daily routine every day. And you'll discover two results.
First. You'll find it easier to stay consistent because you're not overwhelmed by what you are expecting yourself to accomplish every day. And second, you'll find yourself getting better because from the daily practice and the quantity of work that comes from consistency.
Step number four, keep how or where you are working interesting.
Let me explain. [00:14:00] Two options here. You want to keep your creative area inviting and then secondly, you want to occasionally change up. Where you are working. Studies show that keeping your creative workspace separate and uncluttered from the rest of your life will keep you invigorated to work when you are ready to be creative.
And research indicates that exposure to new environments will boost divergent thinking and will bring excitement to help create new ideas. So here's some easy ways to keep your creative studio area inviting and or ways to occasionally change up your creative environment. So number one,
if you reduce the clutter in the area that you are working, it's going to allow for fewer distractions and it will give you space to actually [00:15:00] Focus and complete your work. Number two, make certain that you have the tools and the supplies you need
your focus will remain in place. If you weren't constantly trying to find your scissors. Or if you are suddenly thinking, do I still have that blue fabric that I bought last year? find all the things you need and have them ready so that when you need them, you know where they are and you don't break your concentration and your focus stays in place.
And number three, occasionally. Take a retreat or a field trip, plan a creative time at a cafe or a park, or collaborate with a friend. Pulling yourself away from where and what you always do excites your brain and will allow for new creative ideas to flow with less effort. Step number five, [00:16:00] trust yourself in this process.
So let me explain what I mean by that. You need to remember why you enjoy being creative, trust yourself, and then enjoy what you're doing. Trust your unique skills and trust the message that you have to share. When you're focusing on your work.
not thinking about what this needs to do or how it needs to look or what people might be thinking, then you actually find the bliss in the act of creation. So if a deadline is involved, You want to break down the steps into actionable items that you create a schedule for, and then trust yourself as you work towards completion.
Knowing the breakdown of the schedule to reach completion is going to give you the confidence to focus on just what needs to be [00:17:00] done today. Now we've just gone over these five steps. Let's talk about the results. That you are going to have when you find time for creative focus. So when creative focus is scheduled,the results can be transformative.
with planned focus, even short periods of scheduled creativity. This can yield amazing breakthroughs, polished projects, and a sense of purpose. People often report feeling rejuvenated and fulfilled after fully engaging in their creative passions, even if it's just 15 minutes every day,
creative focus is the key to turning potential. into progress, but it requires intention and practice to cultivate. And you [00:18:00] must be consistent. So scheduling, time to focus on your creativity doesn't just produce better work.
It's going to grow your confidence and help you rediscover joy in your heart, mind, body, and soul. The secret is my friend, start small, just 15 minutes a day. And the other secret is you have to be consistent. Don't break the chain. Start that process, do it every day, and that's going to help you increase that focus.
And then you're going to watch your creative powers. Blossom. So take these ideas and incorporate them into your day. I know, I know in my heart that when you use focus to harness your unique skills,it is going to help you stay [00:19:00] creative, my friend.
Take advantage of all the offerings at Create-Today:
https://www.bdi-create.today
5 Steps to Increase Your Creative Focus | Create Today with Beth Buffington
In this episode of Create Today with Beth Buffington, Beth shares five practical steps to help you increase your focus to rocket your creativity for this new year. Airing on January 2nd, 2025, Beth begins the year by guiding listeners away from the pressure of setting resolutions. Instead, she emphasizes the importance of rest, playfulness, routine, an inviting workspace, and self-trust, all underpinned by scientific insights about focus and multitasking. By following these steps, whether you're a seasoned artist wanting to increase your creative business or licensing clients—or you are a creative who wants to revive a creative passion—you can enhance your creativity and well-being in heart, mind, body, and soul with these 5 simple steps to boost your creative focus. Join Beth for a journey towards optimizing your creative potential!
00:00 Introduction and New Year Greetings
01:04 The Importance of Focus for Creatives
02:07 The Myth of Multitasking
05:37 Understanding the Science of Focus
07:59 Step 1: Get Rest to Renew Your Energy
10:13 Step 2: Embrace Curiosity and Playfulness
12:40 Step 3: Daily Creative Routine
13:50 Step 4: Keep Your Workspace Inviting
15:57 Step 5: Trust Yourself in the Process
17:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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