15 New Year’s Resolutions Ideas for Creatives
From bullet journaling to challenges and podcast recommendations.
Aaah, it’s that time of year again. Everyone’s so motivated and full of energy to start planning new goals. This is great, but we all know it’s difficult to stick with them for a long time. We get so excited and choose so many that it’s impossible to keep up. So I recommend you choose just 2 or 3 out of all the resolutions you’ll think of.
Having said that, I’m here to give you some ideas!
Start a bullet journal
In case you haven’t heard about it, it’s a way of journaling/planning your weeks on a blank notebook. You design all the spreads, decide which layouts and systems would help you be more productive… all with the aesthetic you want. There’s tons of inspiration out there (starting from scratch is scary), but I’m gonna recommend you a Youtube channel that is all about it, Matt Ragland:
Start a non-computer or design hobby
Creative burnout is something that I guarantee will happen to you (sorry ‘bout it). It’s good to have a back-up hobby, far away from what’ll potentially block you, for those times when you just need to chill.
Some suggestions: origami, cooking, playing an instrument (ukelele should be your first option if you ask me), meditating, writing your own novel, learning a language, reading, running every morning (no one will pick this one), Lego building, gardening…
Take part on an Instagram creative challenge
There’s a lot of challenges on Instagram, and they are great for many things. You have a prompts list, so there’s always something to start with and you don’t feel blocked right from the start. There’s also an official hashtag, so it gives your work more visibility. And last but not least, it motivates you to create something daily and be consistent on social media (the only key to success there, really).
But, BIG DISCLAIMER, don’t let them ruin your whole life (no drama detected here). We all have busy schedules so there’s not always time to fit in some hours of creative practice. You can always work in advance, low your standards a little bit and produce simpler results, or even make it at your own pace (who cares if you complete Inktober in December, you did it anyway!).
Some challenges last for a whole month (#Inktober #36DaysOfType #MerMay #Huevember). But some of them take place just once a week all year long, so they might be a good option to start: #Homwork #GoodTypeTuesday #IllustrationFriday, just to name a few.
Design your night routine
I feel my life would be MUCH better if I had the right amount of sleep: more motivation, creative energy, better mood and less dark circles. Designing a night routine (a ritual that you repeat every day before going to bed) can help a lot with that. Things like finding the right temperature for your body or setting your screen brightness correctly are really important. If you want a place to start learning, you can watch this video by MuchelleB on the topic:
Start using calendars and reminders
I don’t remember how my life looked like before I started using reminders on my phone for future plans and events: recharging the public transport card, birthdays, important deadlines… Your default calendar app has them, please use them. If you are more the actual-paper kind of person, you can use a real calendar (plus it’s also a decorative object). You can buy my PRINTABLE CALENDAR on Etsy with some of my pattern designs (preview right next to this text).
Listen to more podcasts
You probably have heard about all the good interesting podcasts that exist out there. They aren’t lying about it. Think about all the time that you spend just waiting for something while doing nothing at all (driving or using the public transport to work, queues at shops, burocracy…). Podcasts are a great way to get something out of those boring situations, learning about the topic you want. There are several podcast apps like Google Podcasts, Soundcloud, iTunes or Spotify.
I’m preparing a blog post recommending some creative podcasts I love, but for now you can check out The Honest Designers Show (https://www.designcuts.com/honest-designers/) and the Good Company Podcast (https://www.welcometogoodcompany.com/podcast/).
Bonus Resolution Ideas
- Set up your own website.
- Create an account in a new social network.
- Try an art technique you’ve never tried before.
- Sign up for an online learning course.
- Start planning that big trip you’ve always wanted to do.
- Try a 7 days social media detox.
- Declutter your room and discover all those art supplies and old works you didn’t know you had.
- Join a Book Club that actually motivates you to read more.
- Organize the files on your computer following a logical order and hierarchy, and delete old useless stuff you’re never gonna use.
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