OCT 22nd 1-2-3: The Beauty of Timers for Creatives
1: Timers as a Creative Tool ( 3 minute read )
*I open my iPad, and I set a timer.
30 minutes, one of my 48 chunks in the day.
What will I do during this time?*
Well I write of course!
Timers, are a beautiful tool that we have available to us, and yet they are underutilized.
We are used to looking at the clock, for instance when we’re looking forward to our upcoming break. Or when we are waiting for class to let out, the minute hand goes around and around until the bell rings.
Yet, when it comes to our creative works we believe it to be something that occurs when we are “inspired”.
Here is some inspiration for you: if you are waiting for inspiration to strike, it never will, so set a timer to command it to strike.
There is this amazing fact when it comes to creative work, and that is that this notion of a muse coming along and kissing you with an idea and a vision to write by is not actually real. It is a work of fiction itself, and funnily enough probably written by someone who set a timer!
I am absolutely one to love Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and all works that are magical, but you and I both know there is no such thing as a mythical creature that will come along and get the work going for you.
The truth is, we are our own muse.
We command the inspiration, because it is from within us.
We must be the ones to call down the thunder, the strike, the fire.
So how do we do this?
This brings me back to the wonderful timer.
It is such a simple, often rudimentary solution. To use less fancy terms, it is simple.
Simple is good. It is REALLY good. It is actually great.
There is a process for getting work done, and it is utilizing measurement. What is the most important step towards any long-term goal is consistency.
You will note that the most prolific of artists and business people follow a schedule, and they maintain a relative rigidity to their schedules and approach to their time.
Take Brandon Sanderson for instance, a critically acclaimed author and Fantasy-book madman (seriously, go read one of his books, they are an adventure you won’t soon forget.)
He has a strict schedule that comprises of waking and sleeping at the same time everyday.
Writing at the same time.
Spending time with his family.
Everything.
What does a schedule have to do with a timer?
Well a timer is just a way to measure a unit of time, or a time block in your day. They don’t have to be long, they can be short, but they must be consistent.
Over time, you will develop more endurance and intensity, and it all starts with the smallest amounts of time done everyday.
If you have any aspirations towards creation of art and are finding it difficult to get started, start with a timer.
Set it for a small amount of time ( I have found 30 minutes to be a great measurement of time to set since we get 48 of those in a day) and then remove any distractions and get started on the work.
You don’t have to work past the 30 minutes, but you just may.
If you need a smaller amount of time, go for it! Just set the timer and show up, everyday.
If you do this daily, you are sure to get results.
You’ll first start seeing the work pile grow.
Then you will start feeling the pleasure of accomplishment.
Then you will get excited to keep going.
Then you will gain more skill in your craft.
Then you will want to put the timer up.
Then you will hit your goal.
“What is measured can be managed.”
This goes for all sorts of facets of life; nutrition, finances, physical training, word counts, pages of sketches, poems, you name it.
The more repetitions you get in, the more you will identify with the work you are doing, and that is where the magic happens.
You go from someone who writes 15-30 minutes a day, to becoming a writer.
It is all about the journey! Sure destinations give us the journey, but the journey is still where we spend the majority of our time.
And the journey of a thousand miles, starts with a little bit of time everyday.
So grab a timer, set it, and get to work. I am sure you will make something great!
My timer is done, I close my iPad. I am blessed, and excited to write again tomorrow.
2: Creative Prompts From Us (ex. Write a short story, a poem, a song, or draw a quick illustration of these! Let your imagination run free.)
I. A group of young teens seek entertainment within an Abandoned Asylum. What lurks within this wretched place? Is it maybe that this Asylum isn’t so ‘abandoned” after all? Or is it simply the imagination of these teens playing tricks on them.
II. One last candle remains. But what for? Why were so many candles used up to now? Is it for the warmth of its flame? Or is it to light someplace dark?
3: Inspirational Quotes From Others
I. “Time crumbles things; everything grows old under the power of Time and is forgotten through the lapse of Time.” - Aristotle, Greek Philosopher
II. ““Try to put well in practice what you already know; and in so doing, you will in good time, discover the hidden things which you now inquire about. Practice what you know, and it will help to make clear what now you do not know.” - Rembrandt, Dutch Painter
III. “The Muse visits during the process of creation, not before. Don't wait for her. Start alone.” - Roger Ebert, American Film Critic
Thanks for reading!