The moment you hear the word ‘deadline’, you feel half-dead, don’t you? At least, I do. Not only me. Anyone whose brain is meant to travel on unusual path feels the same. They are definitely not fit for a desk job. Some prefer to work under instruction and strict deadlines, while others love the freedom of work. Paradoxically, quick turn-around jobs get paid well. It takes enormous effort to make a piece of art or write a creative story. You need a clean slate to start anything new. So, how do you know if a corporate job works you?
Problem 1: You don’t own freedom
Unless you run a business that demands creativity, any day job becomes your roadblock. A typical workday in your job is pre-scheduled. Daily operations like targets and unavoidable meetings don’t allow your fresh thoughts to blossom. Some businesses even require you to work in shifts. I have worked in all possible shifts while taking offs on weekdays. It is not strange anymore. Daily routine comforts your mind and limits your capabilities. Targets are inevitable in a corporate job. If you want to live your life, the way you want, a corporate job is not your cup of tea.
Problem 2: Target means stress (to many):
How many days did you go unproductive because you were given a deadline? How many brainstorming sessions ended up the way it was started? Your coffee time gets some extraordinary ideas, isn’t it? The stress due to time-frames makes your mind go blank. To create anything new, your mind needs space. That is freedom. An adrenaline rush might help you run faster or trek to a high-elevation peak. But sitting in a chair and expecting your mind to generate greater ideas is a mess. Some people exceptionally work under deadlines. Normal people, like me, wouldn’t bring in new ideas under stress.
What’s the solution?
1. Break your routine:
Your job routine is addictive than you can imagine. Schedules with regards to your work, people a fixed shift time makes you sick. The comforting workplace is your enemy. Your inner voice tells you often. But you just ignore it. Lack of fulfilment and boredom despite heavy workload are your key symptoms. They tell stories you have been ignoring. They push you out of your bed and make you run. They take away your sleep at night, for no reason. That is the right time to switch on your creative mode. It’s time to re-plan your daily timetable.
2. Dedicate time for yourself:
Borrow some time daily. Do what interests you like painting, singing, or writing. Drag it into your daily life. Don’t let your reasons destroy your creativity. Nothing works like actions. Initially, you might spend a short time and be unproductive. Never mind! When you are fully attentive, time won’t bother you. This new schedule could demand to alter your day or reducing sleeping hours. It will be fun and not a problem.
3. Quit your job, if required:
Honestly, it is difficult to balance your monotonous day job along with your creative interests. If it is a hobby, forget worrying. If you’re determined about your passion, the day job turns into a hindrance. Sometimes you become creative when you’re at work. Unfortunately, you can’t do much about it if you’re at work. Then it becomes a pain. Waiting for weekends to act isn’t a plan. You will find reasons to not act on your goal. If you are wise and financially secure, quitting your job is the way to start your creative journey.
4. Tap your creativity:
Ideas don’t just come when you sit at your desk and stare at your computer. Ideas pour in when you become ecstatic. To explore newer areas of life, you should consider changing your routine. Probably, a weekend getaway makes your happy. Visit a beach or take a vacation. Go to a calm place, preferably less crowded, to connect with nature. Depending on what’s accessible to you, choose a pleasant spot. Your mind requires an internal cleaning for new ideas to generate. Innovative Ideas, under stressful situations, are rare. You must first slow down your brain’s frequency of flapping.
5. Get rid of your obstacles:
Extraordinary ideas come when your mind experiences pure peace. It’s a prerequisite to be detached from gadgets and crowd. That’s where greater ideas reside. This could mean even being away from your friends and family. It sounds unrealistic but you want to produce extraordinary results in your day. You cannot compromise on your innovations.
It’s time you made up your mind. Letting your mind to be fully creative is true happiness. How soon you act in real is the key. Quitting your job is an option and not a solution.