I’ve read a few things recently about living a creative life, and I’ve also been thinking about this topic in relation to curating my days so they have creative time in them.

But what is a “creative life”?

I think the definition of a creative life is a very individual thing, although there will inevitably be some common themes when you compare people’s descriptions.

For me, a creative life is one where I can go where my creative brain takes me, following intuition and inspiration. It’s one where I can work to my own rhythms and cycles, so that I get the best out of my energy and enthusiasm. It’s one where I have the time to wander and absorb little details of my surroundings. To go out to new places and explore. To find and revisit those places in nature that speak to me. And it’s one where I have the physical and mental space to write uninterrupted by people or unwanted noise. Endless hours that are all mine to do what I want with them, to follow the creative flow.

A creative life feels lovely and spacious and inspiring. It feels rich and textured and quietly exciting.

So how can I have a creative life?

This is my dilemma.

We live in a world that is driven by commerce and by offices and commuting, and by school timetables and terms and the school run. Working life has changed to some extent since the pandemic, with more people spending time working at home than previously. But in other respects it hasn’t changed.

My husband works at home 4 days a week. My daughter goes to school. We have 6 week blocks of term time. And my weeks have time boundaries around them. I can’t easily start work or writing before 9am, and I can’t do much between 3pm and 8pm. And I can’t just hop in the car and drive to the seaside on a whim (it’s 1.5-2 hours away).

I do have a dedicated workspace, but it’s not quiet when the occupant of the room underneath is on phone calls and video calls all day long!

I have two sides to me – there’s a creative need that has to be satisfied, and there is also a love of ideas, of helping others figure out how to make those ideas happen. Each of those sides has a different energy to it.

And the rhythm of a freelancer, let alone one with a creative mind, is different to an employee. As a freelancer there are periods with not much work, there is necessary admin and marketing to be done, and the work doesn’t always require constant conversation with other people. I have time in my day that I can choose how to spend. I am in control of my working day, as much as I can be. So a freelancer and an employee in the same house is an odd combination.

Then add to all of this the noticeable changes in my energy throughout my 28 day menstrual cycle! I have 2 weeks of high energy, all the ideas, an intense desire to write and create new things, a week where doubts creep in and I’m no longer as motivated or interested in my ideas, and then a week where I just want to tidy my house, read books and ruminate over whatever has happened recently.

So with all of those things going on, is it actually possible to live a life based on creative rhythms and creative whispers? (And is it possible to actually see anything through to completion?!)

Do you have any tips on living a creative life when living within time and space constraints?

Image by Bianca from Pixabay