Tips to get back to routine

Resolutions, changes, starting from scratch, finding yourself again… At first, these words and phrases will probably bring New Year to mind. But if you stop for a moment to think, you’ll realize that the year could be said to start every September. 

Another option is that the year has two beginnings – two opportunities for a fresh start. But that might end up being just another excuse to put everything off until later, so we’re calling for September to be officially named the first month of the year and in this spirit, we’re going to share a few tricks to make sure you get it off to a good start!

• Catch up with the news

There are two main things you have to do right after coming back from vacation or after summer in general, and one of them is to accept that while you were at the beach, life didn’t stop in its tracks. This means doing a review of your industry’s top news and new trends and changes can open up a world of possibilities, opportunities and creative unlocks on your return to work. 

• Get organized

It’s never a waste of time to set aside the first couple of days (or however long you need) after your return to the routine to organize your work. Grab your calendar, mark the most important days, set your goals, and plan your work for at least the next two months to leave little need for improvisation (in terms of organization), and make sure that there’s no room for rush and stress in your diary.

• Work on creativity

Far from the commonly held belief, creativity does not reside in inspiration. No young woman dressed as a Greek goddess called Muse is going to come round to give you the ideas for the next three months (but if she does show up, we want to hear about it). That’s why there are tons of techniques for tackling the blank page beyond brainstorming for you to try.

• Association of ideas: Jot down words (objects, feelings, colors…) on different pieces of paper. Pick any two of them and think how you could put them together in a single design or photograph. This technique will help you create original concepts that, whether or not they serve in your work for Freepik, will stimulate your creativity and mental agility.
• Imanchin: We love this technique because you can put it into practice at any time. Whenever you feel creatively blocked – or even if you just feel like it – go for a walk. Go into any store and look for objects that might be related to your concept and use them in your designs to finalize that idea that didn’t quite come out.

• Rest

Time is your worst enemy. The ticking of the clock accelerates your heartbeat and deadlines rob you of your enthusiasm for what you’re doing. That’s why it’s important not to force the machinery, which in this case is you.

Have you come across the Pomodoro Method? It consists of working for 25 minutes and resting for 5. You can set your own stopwatch or use one of those available on the net. Giving your brain a little break every few minutes is the best way to relieve pressure and reconnect with more energy.

In addition to following these guidelines and techniques, remember that creativity is nothing more than the union of concepts that already exist, but no one had brought together before, and the best way to stimulate it is with new input. Do things you’ve never done before – visit museums, listen to music, read that book that’s been on your shelf for so long.

Enjoying your time is the best source of creativity!