Creatives are notorious for struggling to take time off. They pride themselves on their work ethic, their side hustles and their ability to increase output despite the negative impact on nearly every other area of their life.
Perhaps you’ve missed friends’ birthdays, been late for special dinners, or become a constant source of irritation for your other half by working late into the night.
Working in creative industries means there is a pressure to always be “on” and generating new and exciting ideas. The habit of self-sabotaging with unhealthy working habits is borderline pathological in this sector.
Hence the ongoing interest in productivity hacks for creatives.
But anyone who has dealt with burnout will tell you the same thing; if you don’t find time to rest, your body will find it for you.
They’ll also confirm that prevention is better than cure. You don’t have to go through the arduous process of burnout, to switch off, to journey of rediscovery if you can find healthier coping mechanisms in the meantime.
So, how can a humble coffee help with productivity hacks for creatives?
Coffee is vital in the creative industries. The scent of a pot of coffee brewing is synonymous with the creative workplace. It gets us started in the morning, and provides respite from creative block. When you hit a wall, you hit the office kitchen in search of caffeine and a sugar hit from the biscuit tin.
It’s irrational to expect creativity to flow eternally. You have to fill the tank every now and then, and taking a step back from the screens and the stimulation is one of the best ways to top up your idea bank.
You also can’t be expected to generate ideas that connect on a human level if you’re failing to connect with other humans. You need to live through experiences to be able to share your experiences.
Steps for upgrading your coffee break
What does your coffee break currently look like? Is it a hurried dash to the office coffee machine, cursing how slowly the productivity nectar drips into your cup before you rush back to your desk to get back to the grind?
If you’re looking for enhanced creativity, there’s some work that needs to be done. With a simple shift in mindset, you could reimagine the humble coffee break into a crucial stage in the creative process. At the very least, you can optimise your downtime to make sure you are reaping the full benefits to your body and mind.
Make a decision to switch off
Taking a step back from the creative process is a tried and tested way to generate new ideas. This can be terrifying, as it requires you to relinquish control to the creative process. With focus, you can feel intentional in your attempts. When you are sitting at the screen, you are actively working on the solution.
Taking a step back and allowing creative processes to happen in the background can be utterly terrifying. You will be plagued with doubts: what if the ideas don’t come? What if I’ve wasted all of this time and have nothing to show for it? This is fundamentally the core of why creatives struggle to take time off; because working at a problem feels better than trusting the creative process.
Get distracted by the coffee-making process
When you get serious about coffee, you’ll learn that brewing it is a hypnotic ritual. It requires your attention and focus, but it isn’t hard to do, so your brain isn’t taxed by the process.
And you don’t need a complicated setup to enjoy the ritual. A good coffee machine can make the process feel like a proper pause in your day, giving you a few minutes to step away from your screen, make something with your hands and focus on something other than the problem you’re trying to solve. If you’re looking to upgrade your morning coffee routine, this coffee machine is a great place to start.
When you enjoy a really well-made cup of coffee, your other senses are engaged. Again, this is absorbing, but it is not taxing. You don’t have to focus very hard to appreciate the complex flavours of a cup of coffee, but it will bring your senses into the moment.
Your mind is at once distracted, while also being free to ideate. Your senses are engaged and brought into the moment, but you are still free for the creative problem-solving processes to engage in the background.
Connect with others
Another benefit of the humble coffee break is a chance for human connection. Taking a break and chatting with a colleague can give you time to experience the much-needed human connection that is essential for delivering new concepts.
Talking about your roadblocks or struggles can open the door to new solutions. Your colleagues might offer a new perspective or spark a new avenue of exploration that allows you to try a new approach.
Take a break from the screens
A good coffee break will also get you away from the screens. When taking a break from work, it’s common to swap one screen for another. Rather than sparking the creative process, you are only adding to the mental burden by giving in information overload.
Instead of loading up social media or checking the news, try reaching for a book if you are taking your coffee break alone. Your workplace is likely filled with creative inspiration if you will only make the effort to engage with it.
Will this always lead to better ideas?
There is temptation to look for guarantees before trying a new creative process, but we all know there are no promises to be found. Instead, it’s really about trusting the process.
You might struggle in the beginning to take a step back and take your eyes off the prize, but you’ll soon start to notice the widespread benefits.
Even if you don’t immediately start to generate fresh new ideas, you’ll benefit from the rest. A short break during the day could help you to stay focused for longer as the day wears on.
It can give you a moment to regroup and refresh, allowing you to head back to your desk with renewed enthusiasm for the task at hand. There’s no shortage of studies and insight to confirm that short breaks throughout the day are essential for maintaining peak focus.
By adjusting your approach to working smarter, not harder, you can enjoy improved productivity and a greater sense of accomplishment in the workplace.
It’s also an excellent way to enhance your work/life balance and enable you to avoid burnout through proper rest and relaxation techniques.
