Life is truly like shifting quicksand, and in just a blink of an eye, our circumstances can change drastically. For a lot of us, working from home is a new feat that can be difficult to navigate. The same motivators we once relied on: alarm clocks, morning showers before heading off to work, and maintaining a fun and welcoming workspace, have become a choice rather than a necessity during lockdown. 

Yet given this, there’s still a lot of hope. For those of us who are creatives, I’m going to let you in on a secret: there are several at-home motivators that work towards channeling creative flow. This time away from the noise of in-person experiences can be immensely powerful if you lean into the audience of your work, delve deep into the creative process, and reap the rewards. Take it from a creator herself, being stuck at home can actually be the most rewarding thing as a creative.

Seeds Have a Chance to Bloom

When we’re out and about in the world, there’s a series of stimuli hitting us at any given moment, and our thoughts shift from one to the next quicker than corn kernels pop in a machine. Not only that, but we often have peers give us some wonderful ideas we wish to expand upon, though we either forget about these, push them aside, or simply get too caught up in other, “more important” endeavors. I’ve felt it too: during all my travels for Fashion Week, I had a consistent flow of great ideas. I remember looking at a mannequin in a vintage boutique in Paris and telling myself I’d recreate a similar look, or telling myself I’d research a number of unique independent brands, none of which I actually ended up doing.

Lucky for us, not having to run from place to place and or have as many tight deadlines means we can keep a little something next to us at all times.

The at-home motivator you can rely on to help your seeds bloom: a journal.

Keeping a notebook with you at all times during the day at home allows you to jot down your ideas, whenever they arise. Every morning, look back at the ideas from previous days and develop an action plan to allow your seeds to bloom.

Time Gives You the Benefit of Finding Answers From Your Audience

Prior to lockdown, I don’t think even a day went by where I hadn’t sighed and frustratedly said the phrase, “I don’t have time.” I guess lockdown is the universe’s response to those of us who were supposedly short on time. In fact, it might not even be true that some of us actually have more time to ourselves this lockdown, but one thing is for sure: we are in a standstill of sorts. No longer are we jumping from place to place, and this does leave more room in our minds to focus on a single aim. As a creative, your biggest aim is to provide unique solutions through your work. Sometimes, we get so caught up in the work part, that we forget to work on better understanding those we are providing solutions to. 

For a long time, I was creating content that excited me, yes, but still left me feeling empty at the end of the day. I knew I wasn’t impacting or “influencing” anyone. During this lockdown period, I collated some of the DMs and comments I was getting and found so many running themes that I wasn’t hitting in my content. I’ve made it a goal to continue practicing this kind of social listening and devoting time to analyzing the results so my art really does something for those viewing it. 

So, like the true creatives we are, let’s allow ourselves to get lost in time by doing some deep audience digging. 

The at-home motivator you can rely on to find answers from your audience: your google search history. 

Too often, we forget how similar we are as human beings. Some of the questions you’ve typed into the Google search box are probably those your audience wonders too. After looking through your Google search history, I’m sure you’ll find a few points of personal interest that could potentially be a point of discussion with your audience. Of course, you’d have to do some digging and confirm their interest. For instance, the last thing I searched for was “What is my horoscope today,” and, well, we all know just how much people love horoscopes! I went back into the screenshots I had from audience DMs and messages, and lo and behold, I actually found a few people who asked me what sign I was. And after doing some more digging, I’m sure I’ll find a really valuable way to have a further conversation about horoscopes with my audience!

Receiving Value From Sharing Values

A business must provide value, and as a creative, I’ve found that I must provide value by sharing my values. With this time at home, I’ve been able to spend some time soul searching and understanding my core. My character traits and values revolve around peace, personal fulfillment, resourcefulness, and purpose. Knowing this, when it comes to my audience, I make sure that each piece of content isn't just "aspirational" but is also helpful in some way, shape or form—whether it be in providing easy style/beauty tips (resourcefulness), ways to calm anxieties (peace), etc. This has worked magic for me, my followers have been as engaged as ever, and it has also opened the doors to other unique business opportunities to continue sharing my story. The best creative works are a result of pouring who we are into it, so let’s not forget to share our values!

The at-home motivator you can rely on to share values: a folder of your favorite testimonials.

I’m sure many of us have received letters of recommendations, testimonials, and words of praise from those we’ve worked with, and the most special ones usually have something to say about our character. When we act in accordance with our values, we may not realize it, but we receive value back. It’s the fundamental law of the universe. People take notice of your character, and whether or not the value is given instantaneously, you inevitably will get some form of value back from having a solid character. Don’t believe me? Let the testimonials serve as a reminder that it is, indeed, true. 

All in all, it really comes down to ideation and value creation! Being a creative in confinement can be tough, but using time wisely in these ways is a sure shot to success.

Photo: Christian Vierig Courtesy of Malvika Sheth

About the Author: Malvika Sheth, founder of the fashion and beauty platform and blog Stylebymalvika, is one of the top five up and coming fashion influencers according to Pixlee. A digital content creator, her platform caters to the driven dreamers and luxury fashion lovers of the world and has also appeared on Forbes India, Buzzfeed, Refinery 29, and The Cut to name a few. She has previously collaborated with brands like Jimmy Choo, Clarins, Givenchy Beauty, Reebok, Essie, Uniqlo, Lafayette 148 NY, and Lancome in her journey! Check her out on Instagram @stylebymalvika, or on her site, www.stylebymalvika.com.

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