Keeping your creativity alive has always been a challenge, but in the era of work from home, where the lines between work life and home life have blurred and where burnout and social disconnection are rising, creativity is at risk. We’ve asked some of the most creative folks we know for advice on how to keep one’s creativity alive.

Nate Franchesco

For me, creativity isn’t something I try to “keep alive” — it’s something I live in. As a multi-instrumentalist, I thrive on switching lanes, bending genres, and exploring the full emotional range of sound. I stay inspired by constantly challenging myself to create without boundaries. Read More>>

Annabel

Keeping creativity alive is tough. At times I’ve tried to do things like make what can only be described as a self directed, quasi writer’s retreat – where I isolate myself in my room and create a regimented schedule with page deadlines. While that does force me to be quote unquote “productive”, it also makes everything I’m able to pump out feel stale and robotic. It’s easy to get words on a page, it’s hard to make them words worth sharing. Read More>>

Bendnasty

I’ve always felt that creativity doesn’t come from within me alone—it flows from external sources. Most of my ideas feel like they come from something beyond my own mind. To keep that inspiration alive, I stay open—both in heart and mind. I believe that openness is my driving force. Every new person I meet and experience I have evokes different emotions, and I channel those feelings directly into my music. Read More>>

Nicole Booker

“I keep my creativity alive by embracing nostalgia, drawing inspiration from nature, and pushing the boundaries of conventional design. I explore unique fragrance combinations, crafting scents that tell a story rather than follow trends. Each product is created with heart, shaped by cultural influences rather than market demand, ensuring authenticity in every piece.  Read More>>

Brittany Walker

I keep my creativity alive by pulling from real life situations that I have gone through or are dealing with. I like to create pieces that are relevant and deal with real life, I find when I pull from life it’s much easier to choreograph to because I can feel the movement more and not pretend. Read More>>

Fadaila Chaouch

I was able to keep my creativity alive despite the many situations in my professional career where it was undermined.
By dint of working for others, I felt that she was gradually dying out.
It was the day I decided to work for myself that everything changed. Read More>>

Ty Xiong

Within music, there are many ways I keep my creativity alive. One of the ways I keep my creativity alive is by turning off all music from all of my electronic devices. As a professional composer and musician, I tend to get tired of listening to music and just want to listen to my own thoughts. Read More>>

Madison Kline

I keep my creativity alive by constantly seeking inspiration—whether that’s through the work of other artists, regular shooting, or collaborating with new people. I make it a point to jot down any ideas as they come to me, building a running list that I can revisit whenever I need a spark. Read More>>

Hong Hua

My way of keeping my creativity alive is to find opportunities in everyday’s scene, without thinking about stakeholders, users, feasibility, profitability, etc. Once you are not limited by any of these constraints, you can find the essence of joy of creating stuff. Read More>>

William Bartumioli

In terms of keeping my creativity alive the K.I.S.S. method is something I like to use, and I ain’t talking Gene Simmons in makeup! “Keep It Simple Stupid” has always resonated with me whenever I’m indulging in any sort of creative process. From writing music, creating promo artwork, writing stories all those things I like to keep it as simple as possible. Read More>>

Savana VonFeldt

As a kid, I often used sadness and loneliness as fuel for my creativity—it was a way to process what I was feeling. Later, I went to art school to study painting and developed a more intentional practice. Read More>>

Sitong Cao

I keep my creativity alive by constantly taking in “nutrients”—seeing new films and theatre, reading books, staying curious about what’s happening in the world. I believe creativity needs to be fed, and experiencing life fully—whether it’s joyful or painful—is part of that process. Read More>>