The week between Christmas and New Year’s tends to be quiet for business, so I decided to christen this “Creative Week”. I have a number of projects I love to do that I don’t make a top priority – so they don’t get done. I thought this week could be rich for creative production – layered in with just two hours of work-work each day.

Normally, I set an intent for what I want to carry out, plan in time, and track what gets done – but that didn’t feel right for Creative Week. However, working on a complete whim was too big a challenge for a planner/tracker, so I brainstormed a list of creative stuff I wanted to get done. This included everything from running and meditation, to practicing the guitar, to making beaded bags, to reading, to writing for long periods of time.

I couldn’t let that alone, and divided each day into two-hour increments, roughed out what the week might look like, and was ready to roll.

Monday morning was Day #1 of Creative Week. I woke up early, anticipating the day like a kid does the arrival of Santa! And that’s when the spirit of creativity took hold. As I headed upstairs to work, I delightfully ignored my roughed-in plans and happily beaded until I finished bag #1.

I looked at my brainstormed list. It was too cold to run or meditate outside, but we walked the rocks at the State Park, I meditated inside and finished off the day doing research for a historic piece I’m writing.

Tuesday I ended up reading for most of the day and made a second bag – not beaded because that’s what my creative muses dictated.

Wednesday, I made a third bag, hung out with the grandkids, and did some work propping Romeo & Juliet.

Today has been all work.

So how’s Creative Week going so far?

• I like having thought through what I wanted to do even though I’m not going to get half of it done.
• I like that I made three cool bags – and I still have two days to go.
• I like that I didn’t do what I had planned. It is, after all, Creative Week, and it feels good to work on the creative stuff that calls out to me.
• That being said, I hate that I didn’t make time for more writing. This week reminded me that when I’ve gotten big amounts of creative work done in the past it was because I blocked out time and stuck to my schedule like a wet candy cane does to crushed velvet.
• I’m going to finish off the week by planning in creative writing time for tomorrow and Saturday. And I’m going to track it because that’s how I get things done. 🙂

When you have a creative project in mind, do you plan time for it? Or are you spontaneous with your time? I’d love to hear what works for you.

I hope your holidays were great. Mr. Flynn is still sleeping it off. Oh, the excitement of balled up paper.