Sometimes I get stuck.
I stare at the blank page and the blank page stares back at me.
Know what I mean?
To find out how successful writers like Leo Babauta, Nina Amir, and Barrie Davenport unblock their creativity and become insanely productive, read on.
I’m delighted to welcome Leo Babauta back to WritetoDone! As you know, he is the original creator of this blog.
How to Boost Your Creativity Like Leo Babauta of ZenHabits.net
There are so many great benefits to mindfully exercising, but the first is that it helps me to continue my mindfulness practice, using motion and exertion rather than sitting.
The practice of trying to stay present, of noticing my discomfort, uncertainty, and resistance, of finding gratitude and appreciation amid all of these discomforts … it carries over to productivity, where I face the same difficulties when confronted by a difficult and scary task like writing.
I can now see when I’m avoiding discomfort and running to distraction, and I can mindfully stay with that discomfort and even find curiosity about it, gratitude for even having the opportunity to exercise or create.
I’ve found fitness, especially when combined with mindfulness practice, also increases my capacity for life.
If I’m fitter, I have more energy for work, for play, for being present with my family and friends. I’m not so tired all the time, even on days when I have a really tough workout or run and need to take a nap to refresh myself.
How to recharge your Creativity like Nina Amir of NinaAmir.com
I like to do walking and bicycling meditations prior to writing. I get the energy flowing as I move my body, I breathe deeply as I exercise, and my mind clears along the way.
I allow my thoughts to flow through and out. I wait for the most important ideas or thoughts to arrive—and sometimes I ask for the answers, solutions, and aha moments I seek. After mindful fitness, I enter my home office refreshed and ready to work.
Mindful movement raises my energy, which gives me the ability to sustain work longer and to feel energized while doing so. Plus, it helps heightens my ability to focus and gain clarity, which makes me more creativity. I also produce more—and better— work in less time.
I also take a break every hour. During these 10 minutes, I get a drink of water and mindfully do energy exercises. I take 10 deep breaths while bouncing on my toes and allowing my thoughts to release on the exhale. Or I do the Tai Chi cupping exercise. I breathe deeply while doing so and consciously clear my mind.
These exercises bring me back into the moment and allows me to go back to writing refreshed, open to new ideas, and able to tap into my creative flow.
As long as I practice mindful fitness regularly—daily and hourly—I maximize my ability to produce creative work consistently. And these practices are all the more essential when I’m on a book, blog, or article deadline.
How to renew your mental energy like Barrie Davenport of LiveBoldandBloom.com
Up until a few years ago, exercise was a real chore for me. It was something I did (somewhat sporadically) because I knew it was good for me.
But I didn’t enjoy it.
I also had some limiting beliefs around exercise. I wasn’t much of an athlete growing up, so I always assumed that I just wasn’t born with good “athlete genes.” When I hit midlife, with all of the accompanying realizations about getting older, I found myself revisiting running — something I’d attempted off and on for years with little success.
I learned a style of running called Chi Running, a mindfulness-based approach in which you pay attention to your core, your alignment, and the way your body feels. I also took up hiking and biking, both of which put me in a meditative state because I’m immersed in nature and highly focused when I practice them. These mindful fitness programs not only provide more mental and physical energy, but also they clear my mind so I’m more receptive to ideas and inspiration for my business.
These mindful fitness programs not only provide more mental and physical energy, but also they clear my mind so I’m more receptive to ideas and inspiration for my business. In fact, some of most successful ideas emerged on the running path or hiking trail.
The mindfulness principles I’ve learned through Chi Running, as well as hiking and biking, can be easily applied to my personal and professional life in general: focus on the task at hand, breathe, get in the flow, pay attention, remain open, stay aligned. When you are present, you have unobstructed access to your own creative energy and inner genius.
Conclusion
As you can see, all of the writers above recharge their creative batteries with mindful fitness. I have found the same. Just ten minutes of vigorous but mindful exercise in fresh air ramps up creativity.
When I resume writing after my ten-minute recharge, words flow onto that blank page effortlessly.
How do you recharge your creative batteries? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
