7 Ways to Boost Your Creativity During the COVID-19 Lockdown
During a global pandemic, when the world is shut down, our work suffers as much as the economy does. COVID-19 is one such global pandemic where all of the nightmares are coming true for mankind. The publishing industry is no exception. Publishing a book in India also becomes a challenge when traditional publishing houses are closed and printing has come to a standstill. Here are ways how you can utilize your time during Covid-19 and boost your creativity to stay physically and mentally healthy:
Engage in Music– Probably, the most relaxing way to boost your creativity is music. Though music may not be everyone’s cup of tea but there is hardly anyone in the world who doesn’t like music. If you ever had the hobby or passion for a particular instrument, this is the time to touch its strings and chord. Start with low expectations from yourself. You don’t become a Mozart overnight; be patient, keep practicing. It is great for mental health during a depressive state of affairs. Learning music can be peaceful and motivating for your work too.
Play with Colours– Another great way to engage your creative mind is art; but if you just want to relax and be playful during a tough time, use colours. Art therapy has been found to have positive effects on the brain; that’s how art therapy works in abolishing mental health issues. Scientific studies show that colours have direct effect on your mood. Bright shades make us cheerful, while dull shades make us gloomy and pastels give bliss and peace. Use your favourite colours to smudge the canvas. Use hand-painting skills which is fairly simple but can make you immensely happy; just like a child.
Start Your Blog Now– Blogging is becoming a booming avenue for earning money creatively. As a writer you have the knowledge and technique for it; you can start your own blog, or you can also post on websites available as knowledge-sharing platforms. If your current project is at pause, talk about it on blogs; make it popular even before it is published. It is a pre-marketing secret. Publishing a book in India is not easy; you have to grab attention of your readers. Share a part of your manuscript on your blog; when your work becomes famous, you can sell more copies.
Attend Art Workshops-If you are a serious artist, utilize this time to attend art seminars and workshops that happen online. You can also register some of these seminars for free. These are extremely useful for learning new techniques and methods; you have good amount of networking too.
Get Close to Nature– Another great way to boost creativity is learning the art of pottery. It takes you close to earth again, as you play with mud. But this art form teaches you patience and perseverance as you attempt to give a shape to the shapeless ingredients. This can be extremely therapeutic for the mind. If you have interest in gardening, you can start your new plants from seeds. This is another way to get closer to Nature.
Do Some Baking- Good food gives instant gratification to the body and mind. Satisfying taste is pleasurable, more so if you create it with your own hands. Baking takes patience too; it’s a science which involves precision and measurements, and the ultimate satisfaction of watching your goods puff up with pride is immeasurable. If you have an oven, get on it. Even if you are just starting off, there are tons of simple recipes of cupcakes and breads on the internet.
Start Teaching Online– Your writing profession must have made you knowledgeable over the years. Teaching can be the best part of doing something, even from home. In a lockdown situation, especially COVID-19, online learning is rising steeply with more and more schools and colleges regularly trying to implement online learning. So you can associate yourself with that. There are several web platforms which are specialized for making online courses available to students. Enroll yourself as an instructor there. Use your niche publishing knowledge to develop quality content for needy students and make money (as more students register to your course). Keep an eye for young writers and authors who look for guidelines as to how they can write and publish their work. Publishing a book in India is a challenging job for most aspiring authors and researchers. You can use your experience from authorship to train them and guide them towards achieving it. Besides make your profile on YouTube; post interesting contents every week. As your viewership increases, you can make good money too out of this. Use this platform to promote your book, even before it is published.
We are passing through a difficult time and we have to find ways to boost our creativity nurture our skills and long-lost interests to keep ourselves positive and happy. Trying a few of the above might be helpful.
