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Even the most passionate creatives can grow weary every once in a while. The tasks that you once loved at church start to feel burdensome. New projects that should get you excited now make you feel overwhelmed.

If you’re having these feelings, don’t worry. You can sharpen your creativity and get your edge back by picking up some new habits this year.

So, if you’re ready to shake things up a bit, find that fresh creative energy, and give God your best in this season, I have 7 habits that are just for you.

1. Read, Listen, & Watch More

Let’s start with an easy one. Pick up a new book on a creative topic that you enjoy. Find a new podcast or audiobook that gets you excited. Find a YouTube channel that shares skills and techniques that you can learn. Set aside some time each day specifically for learning, so that you’ll never feel guilty for using time to consume media with this purpose. 

2. Set A Schedule & Keep It

While we’re on the topic of setting aside time for things, let’s talk about your schedule. As creatives, we often are working long hours at odd times of the day and night. I used to think that this was how a creative life was supposed to look. It was somewhat of a rite of passage in my mind to stay up into the late hours of the night to complete a project. Instead, I’ve learned that it’s much more productive to set a realistic schedule with work hours that make sense. Build in things like exercise, breaks, nutritious meals, human interaction, and time to be inspired. Even if your creative projects aren’t your full-time job, you can still make a schedule for your evening tasks. Trust me. This is the more sustainable route.

3. Invite God Into Your Projects

What separates your creativity from those in the world? The answer should be that you are Spirit-led. And believe me, this makes a huge difference. We can be our most creative when we are connected to the Creator. This year, what if you were intentional to invite God’s presence into your projects? Yes, I believe that He is with you as a believer. But, there is something special about starting a task in prayer and asking for His guidance throughout. Pray for fresh ideas to flow. Ask to see things that you wouldn’t normally see. Seek Him for direction to make the most impact in your specific community. Pay attention to nudges to get new people involved with other gifts and abilities. This is when your work starts to really feel like ministry.

4. Reduce Your Distractions

As much as I love social media, the endless scroll can sometimes be such a productivity-killer. Social media isn’t the only culprit though. Notifications, emails, news headlines, text messages, and additive games are just a few of the other attention-grabbing things that can eat up your day. When you’ve scheduled a time to complete a task, shut off as many of these distractions as possible. Trust me—they’ll still be there when you come back. Once you’ve experienced the freedom of turning off the world and completing something productive, you’ll start to want to eliminate these distractions throughout your whole life.

5. Connect With Other Creatives

I should have put this one all in bold because connecting with other creative people is so important. Not only does it help you to stay inspired, but it will also keep you from feeling alone in this. Isolation is not healthy for you or your creativity. Try joining a Facebook Group (this one is my personal favorite), video chatting with someone in your same role at a church 100+ miles away, texting with your ministry team throughout the week, or grabbing lunch with someone who inspires you once a month. 

6. Find Ideas Outside The Church

I love looking at other churches for inspiration. In fact, I follow a large number of them on social media just to stay updated on what they’re up to. But, I’ve learned that it’s important to get inspired by things outside of the Church, as well. Avoid the temptation and easy-route of just copying whatever the popular churches are doing. Look for creative ideas everywhere you go and imagine how they could be adapted to meet your creative goals in your ministry. 

7. Cut Yourself Some Slack

Finally, I want to remind you to go easy on yourself. I know the pressure that creative work brings. You have the tough job of making your boss happy while still trying to create something that you like yourself. You have deadlines to meet. You have software that always crashes at the worst times. And it seems like everyone else always seems to make things infinitely better than you. Take heart, church creative. What you’re doing is important to the Kingdom. Remind yourself of this truth that daily. Stay focused and keep making it better. One day, you’ll look back and won’t believe just how far you’ve come.

What Do You Think?

Do you make any of these habits a priority in your life? Do they help to make you more creative in your work? Which one of these resonates with you the most? Let us know by leaving a comment down below.

Kendall Conner

What do you get when you combine production, design, and communications together with a passion for the Church? It turns out, this is the precise formula to make up Kendall Conner. For over 20 years, this Christ-led creative has been bridging the gap between media and ministry. In addition to serving as the creative pastor in his local church, he is the Chief of Operations for Church Motion Graphics, a ministry-focused design studio that serves thousands of houses of worship around the globe. Kendall specializes in equipping church media leaders and volunteers to utilize creativity in their services to share the hope of Jesus.

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