29 (Or Less) Ways To Stay Creative

I love lists.

So it was with great delight that I stumbled across this video from Get Out The Box listing 29 ways to stay creative.

1. Make lists
2. Carry a notebook everywhere
3. Try free writing
4. Get away from the computer
5. Quit beating yourself up
6. Take breaks
7. Sing in the shower
8. Drink coffee
9. Listen to new music
10. Be open
11. Surround yourself with creative people
12. Get feedback
13. Collaborate
14. Don't give up
15. Practice, practice, practice
16. Allow yourself to make mistakes
17. Go somewhere new
18. Count your blessings
19. Get lots of rest
20. Take risks
21. Break the rules
22. Don't force it
23. Read a page of the dictionary
24. Create a framework
25. Stop trying to be someone else's perfect
26. Got an idea? Write it down
27. Clean your workspace
28. Have fun
29. Finish something

But let's be honest — who has the time to do all these things when we're so busy trying to be creative? Not me.

So, in order to make your life easier, I'm going to suggest combining a few, or even skipping the non-essential ones, in order to save time and be more productive.

• To begin with, if you don't bother buying that notebook (#2), then you won't have to make lists (#1), write for free (#3) or write ideas down (#26). Time is money and you just saved yourself a bunch of both.
• Next, why waste precious time singing in the shower (#7) when you can combine it with #11 (surround yourself with creative people) and shower with creative people? Streamlining.
• Still need more time? Quit beating yourself up (#5) — collaborate with others (#13) and have them do it for you. Outsourcing.
• But there's more you can do. Embrace #6 (take breaks), #22 (don't force it) and #25 (stop trying to be somebody's else's perfect) by not trying too hard to complete the rest of the list.
• And finally, affirm the spirit of #21 (break the rules) by breaking rule #14 (don't give up) and just give up entirely.

Congratulations, your productivity just went through the roof and you learned how to be creative.