It’s the perfect time to detox and come back enriched and stronger to face the days ahead. As the world slips through unprecedented times, and the frontliners of emergency and essential service teams battle to keep the numbers at bay, we can do a little bit by staying mindful and strong. And because most of us are going to be working from home over the next few days or weeks, it’s the best time to put this into practice. Surely most of our pantries are not entirely stocked up as access to food supplies mostly fresh produce have been curbed or reduced. So how does the creative mind stay active, healthy and strong? We do with what we have.
Let’s dive into our diet, shall we?
The relationship between food and intelligence goes beyond Newton’s apple story. For the creative soul, food serves as a medium and a source of inspiration. As an artist and photographer myself, I have always believed that the food I consume must taste as good as it looks and in turn boost my creativity as well.
Be it a nutritional boost or a recharge for creativity. Either way, food or a healthy routine can actually play a major role in keeping your creative juices flowing.
Nutrition can influence creativity. It can fuel great ideas as well as stimulate natural curiosity. The Creative individual needs to stay healthy, motivated, focused and energetic to be able to do justice to our work. Naturally, for the creative mind to be able to stay zestful and inspired, it is essential to acquire good physical and emotional health by adopting a lifestyle that can fit in good nutrition, regular exercise, adequate sleep, meditation and a positive outlook.
Food for the creative soul
Creativity is a brain intensive activity. So how does one feed the brain?
Consuming foods that are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin D can Fuel your creativity.
Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin D and are known to preserve brain function, reduce inflammation in the body and keep the heart healthy. It has been observed that consuming omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin D affect people with cognitive disorders and depression significantly by alleviating their symptoms.
Fresh tuna, salmon, mackerel and eggs are good source of Omega-3 fatty acids. If these foods are not easily available during the lockdown, soyabean, tofu, nuts and seeds such as flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts are your next best thing. A bowl of oats gets my mornings started off on a good note. While my favourite go to snack which I would rather keep near my desk is a jar of mixed nuts and dry fruits or a nutritional bar which I keep as an emergency during onsite visits. Just be careful not to overindulge as they can be quite irresistible.
One must harness the benefits of one’s needs to adopt a few practices to develop the needed power and verve to stay on course during such times. Our profession being more of a visual affair; needs us to feel inspired in creative ways. Here are 3 effective no-brainer creative pursuits you can adopt at your own time-blocked for such activity:
Desk Discipline for W.F.H
Just because you are working from home [WFH] doesn’t mean that you must let your work life trickle into your personal time. The two must be separated for your mind to achieve the balance a creative individual needs. Remember, creative minds best perform when they are given their space and time to focus, think and above all, create. Try to incorporate some ‘me time to’ into your day’s schedule. It’s your very special creative-zone. You will find that reading a book, or listening to some music will actually help de-clutter your mind. If a walk in the greens or the beach is off limits on account of the lockdown, then try out some gardening. Growing your own herbs or micro greens can be very calming.
Balancing time at your – desk, with family / Kids and Me-time requires a sense of discipline. This can only be achieved if you follow a schedule, time-block, and develop a pattern to ensure that your family, clients or employer understands this need.
Physical activity
Working from home naturally has its perks which can at times turn into temptations. With travelling being cut off during such periods of lockdown, it is possible to slip into a sedentary lifestyle. This can if not kept in check, lead to many health issues and a slowdown in brain function which is not very good news for us creative thinker’s right? Try to map in some activity into your new routine. Regular exercise does not need a reason anymore. We live in an era wherein there is enough of information justifying why fitness and exercise needs to be a part of our daily routine. Build it in slowly, one day at a time and you will realize that your body will soon be asking for it. Now the Gyms may be off limits for some time. So try incorporating some normal stretches and exercises that go well with your body type.
Relax, Meditate and Get ‘Gadget-Free’ Quality Sleep
Meditating regularly is the key to a calm mind. It’s well-known to keep the focus. It relaxes you before you begin your day and after a hectic day. Consistently done and you are sure to attain different goals in different areas of your life.
So, if you have a balcony, spending time out in the early morning sun, using deep breathing exercises, doing yoga, are some great ways to refresh, energize and prepare your mind and spirit for the demands of the day ahead. Stress, anxiety and a blank mind are some of the symptoms associated with sleep deprivation. It’s not the quantity of sleep; but the quality of sleep that’s crucial for a creative mind. Modifying your lifestyle to include enough rest will go a long way in keeping you emotionally happy, healthy and positively charged.
If you are a creative professional, and found some interesting ways to pull through this lockdown, do write to us. I would love to learn how you have taken charge of your lockdown woes.
