Try this Simple Motivation Hack Immediately to Boost Creativity

You want to get more done in your creative life, right?

Paint more paintings, craft more crafts, create more artwork?

But maybe you’re finding it hard to get started or to keep motivated to go back into your studio and create?

And that’s no good, because if you’re not creating, you’re just standing still. If you’re not getting work out into the world, then you’re not feeling fulfilled as an artist.

I have good news, though….

There’s one easy peasy trick you can start today that will boost your motivation and drive to create about 1,000%.

And that trick is…

Keep a list as you go of what you’ve accomplished each week.

Say what?

Are you wondering how such a seemingly simplistic trick could transform your productivity from slacker to superhero?

(Keep reading for free printable at the end!)

It’s pretty simple, and it has a lot to do with psychology.

How Writing Stuff Down Makes Your Brain Process It Better

Your brain is both a big storage facility and a crafty editor.

It has endless pieces of information to process each and every day, and it must make decisions on the fly as to what to do with each one.

When you write something down, you trigger a group of cells in your brain called the reticular activating system, which filters all that incoming information and signals that hey, this thing is important!

Or, as Tet of Productive and Free smartly puts it,

“Writing things down helps you record everything that has your attention.”

And this is important, because paying attention to what you’ve accomplished will help you steer toward what you want to accomplish next.

Paying attention to what you’ve accomplished will help you steer toward what you want to accomplish next. Click To Tweet

 

Okay, So I Get That I Should Write Down My Accomplishments…But Why Does All This Matter?

Well, a there are a whole lot of reasons why it will help you in the short and long term.

1. First, keeping a running list of what you’ve gotten done will help get you back on track when you get distracted.

And we all get distracted.

And knocked off track.

But being able to look at a list of what you’ve achieved will help you to refocus by reminding you to get up and get going again.

My best related posts:

How to Manage Time Like a Slacker 

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2. A list of accomplishments keeps you accountable toward your goals.

You’ll be very, very aware of how close you are getting to your goals if you are recording your achievements, big and small, each week.

By tracking what you’ve done, you can evaluate your goals as you go and determine if you need to adjust them.

Chris Bailey of A Life of Productivity says of his weekly accomplishment list:

“The list keeps me accountable…I’m uber-aware of whether I accomplish what I set out to. This lets me reflect on how realistic my intentions are, so I can lower them or increase them going forward.”

 3. Keeping track of what you’ve accomplished will boost you up when you’re down.

It’s common to get down and feel uninspired when you’re in the midst of a large project, like creating a large-scale, complex artwork or preparing for a big solo show.

The work can feel endless, and the payoff can be so far in the distant future that it’s hard to stay motivated and easy to start feeling disengaged and sour about the work.

When that happens, look to what you’ve done.

Having a list handy of the progress you have made will help you to see that you really are chipping away at the iceberg, bit by bit.

Knowing you’re making headway, even if it does’t feel that way, will inspire you to keep going.

 

👆🏽 pin me, please! 👆🏽

 

4. Your accomplishments list will help you understand how you are spending your time…and if you are really working on your own priorities.

Keep a list of what you’ve accomplished for a week or two, and it will become evident pretty quickly how you spend your working hours.

Are you writing down things like “finished mixed-media collage” or “made appointment with new gallery to show portfolio?”

Or does your list look more like a recitation of everybody else’s demands on your time?

We all have 168 hours in a week. Keeping track of what you’ve done empowers you with the knowledge of understanding how you spent those hours.

Were they spent working toward your own creative goals? Or checking off someone else’s to-do list?

This is an invaluable insight, which will allow you to reevaluate your priorities going forward, and take back your time in the future.

Your accomplishments list will help you understand how you are spending your time...and if you are really working on your own priorities... Click To Tweet

5. It just feels good.

And isn’t that enough?

Don’t we all need a boost sometimes getting through the days and weeks?

Why not give yourself a high-five once in a while by keeping track of what you’ve gotten done?

“The list lets me think in terms of how much I accomplish, and not simply how much I do. This pushes me to do less busywork, and focus more on my important tasks that actually lead me to accomplish something.”

-Chris Bailey, A Life of Productivity

Here’s the How-To

It’s pretty simple, right? Grab a sheet of paper or open the notes app in your phone and scribble or type every time you get something done?

That’s basically it, but here are a few extra tips to get you started.

(Keep reading for free printable at the end!)

• Keep your list somewhere handy and visible. If you forget about it, you’re not going to use it.
• As you finish something, record it. It’s up to you what you write down and what you omit. Some weeks, finishing the dishes might feel like a big accomplishment, and if that’s true for you, then it’s okay to put it down. This list is to help you.
• Review your list. Take it out at the end of the week, and read through to see what you’ve done. Use that information as you plan your next week.
• Pat yourself on the back. Even if you wish you had more accomplishments on the list, give yourself the proverbial gold star.

You are doing great, and you are enough.

You are doing great, and you are enough. Click To Tweet

It’s easy to get started with this free Weekly Accomplishments printable! Download, print, and get going.

Want more tips, tricks and hacks to incorporate creativity into your everyday life?  🎉 Scroll down to the bottom of this page ⬇️ to sign up now for my newsletter and immediately receive powerful, useful tips on staying productive, organized & creative. You’ll feel like a rock star in your studio! 🎆 

Have a great week!

⬆️ click to download ⬆️