Creating a starting ritual
I love reading about other creatives' starting rituals that help them get in the zone before beginning a session of creative work. For instance, this is how Beth Pickens writes about rituals in her book Make Your Art No Matter What: Moving Beyond Creative Hurdles:
“Many artists tell me that they create simple and complex rituals, meaningful just to them, to aid them in entering and exiting the work. This can be anything: lighting a candle, journaling, listening to a specific playlist, twenty minutes of free writing, prayer or meditation, wearing a particular garment while working, or clearing the energy of the space with sound, smoke, aroma, or other tools.”
Chase Jarvis in his book Creating Calling: Establish a Daily Practice, Infuse Your World with Meaning, and Succeed in Work + Life offers the following examples of opening rituals: picture in your mind the outcome of the work session as accomplished, have a playlist that get you in the mood, and ser your phone to “Do not disturb” mode or turn it off. He also writes:
“The best creators start work with a plan. Nothing too rigid. They establish a general sense of what they're going to try to do with the time available by leaving room for serendipity. Walking in without one is almost guaranteed to fail. Ideally, a session plan sets out a piece of work you can manageably tackle in the time you have available (e.g. 500 words written, 10 composed photos taken). Some professional creators I know swear by deciding on a plan the night before.”
Today, I thought I'd share a ritual I've recently developed when I sit down to draw. I sit by my desk and:
Light a candle,
Play some upbeat music,
Sharpen my pencil.
Only then I can start drawing. After completing the task at hand, I select which drawing I’ll work on the next day, choosing from a pile of draft sketches. The ritual is very simple, yet there is something soothing about following these steps and having a little fun while still getting the job done. When I don't stick to the routine and don't draw at my desk, it feels strange and I usually have difficulty focusing and finishing a drawing in an efficient manner.
