The secret to creating more

Make it easy as 1, 2, 3

Sketching during my office lunch break.

I had one hour before I lost the sun. I unlocked my apartment door, swapped out my work bag for my painting bag, and sprinted out the door. I needed to record a YouTube video about painting outside this week, and today was the only day of the week that wasn’t raining. 60 minutes and a rushed watercolor painting later, I had one more video in my pipeline, giving me relief for one more week (I post weekly).

Ever since I found the joys of creating online, I’ve been bursting at the seams with ideas that I want to take to fruition. But finding time for it in between my day job became a real challenge. Especially because I was committed to taking photos, writing, and making YouTube videos weekly.

Sticking with a weekly cadence quickly proved to be tricky. I always want to put my best work out on the internet, but a solid creative work can take a lot of time. To publish every seven days, I’ve been focusing on making my creative efforts easy for me. If it’s easy, I’ll be able to quickly switch from working to creating without as much of a mental barrier to execute my personal projects. My energy and efforts will then be focused on creating instead of just starting.

These are three ways I’ve made creating as easy as 1, 2, 3:

1. Keeping it small

I used to think that paintings need to be large enough to be hung on walls, but filling a big 20x20 canvas often takes hours on end. To make creating faster, I have a 3x5 sketchbook in my bag instead. The pressure of producing a masterpiece surprisingly goes away when I am restricted by such a small output space. Plus, it’s easier to fill out a small page rather than a full-sized canvas.

2. Reducing starting time

One of the biggest forces against doing an activity is starting. This is why people who want to exercise prepare their running shoes in front of their doorsteps the night before and sleep in their workout clothes. Translating this into my creative efforts, I bring my camera everywhere with me (even to the office), so it’s convenient to take photos during lunchtime, after work, and even during my commute. That way, I won’t have to go back home to pick up my camera to get good photos. And if I’m really pressed for space in my bag, I’ll use my phone.

3. Set deadlines

I’ve set myself up with a weekly cadence for both my YouTube videos and Substack posts, which requires me to start creating at the beginning of each week. After experimenting between monthly, bi-weekly or weekly cycles, I found that aligning my creating schedule with the days of the week was easiest for me to remember. But sticking to a deadline can be tricky, so accountability partners help a lot. Whether it’s posting your commitment on social media so your friends are aware about it or joining an online cohort-based course, a tangible deadline can help keep you on track. Figuring out what works best for you without it pressuring your creative energy is a delicate balance.

At the end of the day, creating looks different for everyone. The beauty of the internet is that you can edit for a 30-second reel or a 2.5-hour movie. The scope, medium, and format of creation is all up to you. So make it easy, and I can’t wait to see what you create.

Thanks to friends who made this Substack post as easy as 1, 2, 3:

Karena de Souza

, Kevin Brennan, Greg Waning, and

Tobi Emonts-Holley

.