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( HT T P S : // W W W. S H U T T E R S TO C K . C O M / B LO G / C O NT R I B U TO R S )

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 10 Steps to Increasing
Your Creativity and
Productivity at Home

By: Grace Fussell

(https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/author/grace-fussell)

Here are ten tips and techniques for flourishing

in your “Work From Home” (WFH) environment,
and achieving your creative goals in the process.
For many of us, working from home is a dream scenario. With the COVID-19 crisis, however, that
dream has quickly become reality, albeit in the strangest of circumstances. As many of us can
attest, transitioning to working remotely after being immersed in the buzz of a busy office can be
surprisingly difficult.

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(https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/freelance-programming-programmer-cartoon-
character-working-1682752366)

Be productive and creative from home. Image via Visual Generation (https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/freelance-
programming-programmer-cartoon-character-working-1682752366).

As a freelance designer, I’ve worked from home for the best part of five years. Over that time, I’ve
experienced bouts of successful productivity, as well as periods of frustrating creative blocks.
Gradually I came to understand how I could maximize my productivity and boost my creativity, all
while working from my spare room.

Here, we explore some tried-and-true tips and techniques for succeeding in your WFH
environment.

 1. Create a Space that Fosters Productivity
When I first started working from home, I couldn’t shake the phrase “I work from home” out of my
head. At first, I felt lucky to be able to work from the comfort of my flat, avoiding the drudgery of a
daily commute. However, this smugness was quickly replaced with a creeping feeling of
amateurishness. It’s very easy to assume that work done at home is somehow less professional
and less important than work done in a communal office environment. Of course, this isn’t the
case at all, as these 8 Famous Creatives Who Worked from Home
(https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/creative-artists-who-worked-from-home) would testify to.
Work is work, wherever it’s done.

To make your WFH experience feel as professional and productive as possible, it’s important to
recognize that your workspace is separate from your domestic spaces — whether physically or
visually. This space isn’t your spare bedroom, kitchen table, or living room (even if, in reality, it is).
From now on, this is your office, studio, or study.

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(https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/freelancer-child-working-on-laptop-parent-
1563971233)

Create a productive, organized office space. Image via Visual Generation (https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/freelancer-
child-working-on-laptop-parent-1563971233).

Not all of us are lucky enough to have a separate room to set aside as an office. If you’re working
from the kitchen table, it’s important that you “split” your workspace from the rest of the room.
Positioning your desk in front of a window and avoiding a view of the kitchen sink will help focus
your mind and prevent it from drifting towards a desire to wash dishes. Books, files, or storage
units are helpful tools for creating partitions in open-plan areas.

Even if your office is a section of the communal dining table, treat it as sacred and reserve it
completely for work. During your chosen working hours (see below), you should feel able to share
many of the same luxuries as you would at a communal office. That means nobody in the
household should disturb you while you’re working (except in emergencies or for coffee runs).
Decorate your work space with the objects, equipment, and art that make you feel inspired and
creative. Most importantly, you should never, EVER, be tempted to procrastinate through

housework.
 Working from Home: Creative Office Setups We Love
(https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/working-from-home-office-setups)

2. Establish a Work and Rest Routine That’s Productive

for You
While many hoped technology would have a positive effect on our work-life balance, in fact, the
opposite has happened. Our dependent relationship on our smartphones and omnipresent Wi-Fi
allow us to access emails and team WhatsApp groups at any time of the day and night, allowing
work to increasingly seep into the time we should be using to recharge and relax.

For many who work from home, it can be even more difficult to separate work from our personal
lives. We don’t benefit from the separation of leaving the office at five, or sectioning out the
working day with commutes and lunch breaks.

(https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/freelancer-working-on-laptop-vector-illustrations-
1477255043)

Separate your work time from your rest time. Image via Visual Generation (https://www.shutterstock.com/image-
vector/freelancer-working-on-laptop-vector-illustrations-1477255043).

This lack of separation between work and life is a common barrier to productivity, largely because
periods of rest are exceptionally important for stimulating creativity. Silicon Valley consultant Alex
Soojung-Kim Pang explains in his book Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less
(https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/306619/rest/9780241217290.html), that it’s vital to “rest and
recharge,” advising to “have deliberate rest periods scheduled into your diary and use this time on
trying a new activity, such as painting or learning a language.”

If you find that the first hour of the day is your least productive, don’t sit idle at your desk. Instead,
use that time to do something purely creative and nourishing for your soul — such as meditation,
exercise, or reading. Allow yourself to have a complete lunch break away from your desk, and
don’t be tempted to allow working late to become a regular habit. If you aim to prioritize the
quality of your rest time, the quality of your work will markedly improve. I guarantee it.

Another tip to improve the productivity of your work routine — disable push notifications for email
and other apps. Reserve an hour at the start and end of the day to read and respond to emails,
instead.

3. Set Your Goals for Work and Creative Development

In the absence of a manager over your shoulder or regular face-to-face meetings, goal-setting is
an important and useful strategy for helping you feel motivated and productive with your work.

Setting goals for a team helps to increase motivation, aspiration for success, and also allows
employees to assess their productivity compared to their peers. This team-boosting strategy can
achieve similar outcomes for the WFH crowd, as well. Even if you’re working for yourself.

(https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/man-working-laptop-cartoon-character-
freelancer-1682752663)

Combine your short and long-term goals over a set period of time. Image via Visual Generation
(https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/man-working-laptop-cartoon-character-freelancer-1682752663).

Successful goal-setting is about combining short and long-term objectives to create structure
and results over a set time period.

So, for example, you might want to grow your client base within a month. The long-term goal is to
grow the base by “X” number of clients. The short-term goals will work towards achieving that on
a day-to-day and week-to-week basis. For example, start by contacting a defined number of
potential clients in a given day or week. Or, try improving the SEO of your website in installments
over a week-long period.

Setting goals can also be useful for boosting your creative development outside of work. Have
you always wanted to learn a language, perfect your photography skills, or write a cookbook?
Now is the time to set yourself an (achievable) goal that not only makes the most of your free
time, but develops creative techniques you can bring to your job, as well.

3 Ways to Make Money from Home as an Illustrator


(https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/make-money-at-home-illustrator)
 8 Best Practices for Creatives Working from Home
(https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/best-practices-working-from-home)

4. Find Your WFH Buddies

One of the common complaints about working from home is that it’s easy to feel socially and
professionally isolated. This becomes especially true if you’re working for yourself rather than as
part of a remote-working team.

Of course, you won’t be alone in feeling like this. In 2019, there were fifty-seven million
freelancers working in the US economy, many of whom WFH. For creatives, it’s particularly
important to be able to touch base with others in your industry. The interaction can help you to
feel motivated, inspired, and help foster professional development.

(https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/coworking-team-users-connected-by-cloud-
1140421382)

Keep in contact with other creatives for inspiration, as well as professional development. Image via Visual Generation
(https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/coworking-team-users-connected-by-cloud-1140421382).

There are a wide range of online sites, apps, and tools for networking with other creative
professionals. Dribbble (https://dribbble.com/) is the Twitter equivalent for designers, allowing
you to network, share your work, and comment on other user’s projects. The community is
friendly and open, while also allowing you to benefit from (hopefully!) constructive feedback on
your design work. Behance (https://www.behance.net/) also provides a similar service. You can
host a portfolio of your work and share your projects with other designers.

Typography geek? The free-to-download app Fontli (http://api.fontli.com/) invites you to share
your type discoveries with a network of fellow font enthusiasts.


5. Use Webinars to Network and Inspire
As many companies rapidly adjust to a completely digitized way of working and reaching their
customers, the webinar has really come into its own. All you have to do is sign up and tune in at
the designated time to access lectures, talks, or demos from experts in your field (or in a field
you’ve always wanted to explore). Not only do webinars add structure to your working routine,
they’re often completely free to watch.

(https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/video-tutorial-watching-online-lecture-internet-
1656847279)

Get involved in webinars for professional, as well as personal gain. Image via Visual Generation
(https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/video-tutorial-watching-online-lecture-internet-1656847279).

For creative folk, there’s a fantastic range of webinars that cover a wide range of design-related
topics. Adobe provides a large selection of webinar videos
(https://www.adobeeventsonline.com/Webinars/OnDemand/index.php?source=119) covering
topics including software tutorials, design trends, and business advice. The Adobe Live
(https://www.behance.net/live) series also allows you to watch and interact with pro creatives in
action over your lunch hour. You can follow how they approach digital painting, video editing,
graphic design, and a wide range of other design skills.

For creatives looking to improve their business’ presence online, Pinterest

(https://business.pinterest.com/webinars) provides archived and upcoming webinars advising on
how to use Pinterest ads, create video content for the platform, and access particular audiences.

6. Learn from the Greats

We all need our heroes. There’s also nothing more inspiring than learning from the creative
process — and often the creative struggles — of established experts.

The lives of plenty of great designers have been made into biopics. Below are a few of my
favorites. Pick your field of interest and prepare to get seriously inspired:

 Illustration and art: Big Eyes (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1126590/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0)
(2014) and Frida (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120679/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0) (2002)
Photography: Bill Cunningham: New York (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1621444/?
ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0) (2010)
Industrial design: Eames: The Architect (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1972646/?
ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0)& (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1972646/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0) the Painter
(https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1972646/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0) (2011)
(https://www.shutterstock.com/)
Fashion design: McQueen (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6510332/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_10) (2018)
and Coco Before Chanel (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1035736/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0) (2009)

(https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/fashion-clothes-designer-working-on-dress-
1305972070)

Glean some inspiration from the experts in your field. Image via Visual Generation (https://www.shutterstock.com/image-
vector/fashion-clothes-designer-working-on-dress-1305972070).

Through the online teaching platform Masterclass (https://www.masterclass.com/), you can

learn the creative process of some of the best and most established creatives in the world,
across a broad range of fields. With Annie Leibovitz (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0973425/?
ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0) teaching photography, Frank Gehry
(https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0962197/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_2) teaching design and
architecture, and Marc Jacobs (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2192632/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1)
teaching fashion design, it’s well worth a look.

7. Exercise Your Body and Mind

Yep, you’ve heard it a thousand times before. Exercise makes you feel better.

Going one step further, regular exercise has been scientifically proven to improve creativity.
Cognitive psychologist Professor Lorenza Colzato of Leiden University in the Netherlands found
that those who exercised four times a week were able to think more creatively than those with a
more sedentary lifestyle.


To really take advantage of those creativity-boosting endorphins, try to make physical movement
a part of your daily routine. Fifteen minutes of yoga, dance, or jogging before you start working
will not only keep you healthy but keep you inspired and productive.

While physical activity is key to maintaining high creativity levels, taking time to exercise your
mind can also benefit your work process. In particular, meditation is connected with improved
productivity and focus, with many successful designers and CEOs (perhaps most famously
among them Steve Jobs and Bill Gates) having practiced meditation before the start of the
working day.

(https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/people-gadgets-flat-vector-illustrations-set-
1576194298)

Meditation and exercise is great for stirring up those creative juices. Image via Visual Generation
(https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/people-gadgets-flat-vector-illustrations-set-1576194298).

So, if you want a quick and scientifically-proven way to improve your creativity throughout the
day, it pays to set aside time for exercise and meditation. Combine with a nature-infused setting
(see below) and you’re onto a winner.

Coping with Crisis: Ways to Maintain Your Creativity and Mental Health
(https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/creativity-mental-health)

8. Listen to Familiar Music

According to science, your potential for creativity is very much influenced by the type of music
you listen to. While you may think switching up your usual genre will have dramatic effects on
your productivity and creativity, the majority of scientific research actually points to the value of
the familiar.


(https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/user-playing-music-on-smart-speaker-
1549234145)

Listening to familiar music can boost creativity. Image via Visual Generation (https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/user-
playing-music-on-smart-speaker-1549234145).

Researchers have long claimed that listening to classical music is particularly good for improving
efficiency, a phenomenon termed “The Mozart Effect.” However, if you’re not a classical music
fan, the result could be reversed. A 2010 study (https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/82928.pdf)
actually showed that a rendition of Blur’s “Country House” actually outperformed Mozart in terms
of improving cognitive test results among listeners.

The scientists advise to avoid rock (too jarring), pop (not same-y), and unfamiliar music. So, for a
productive day, delete these genres from your playlist and keep your favorite songs. However,
there’s no harm in adding a little jazz to your lineup, a genre also linked with improved creativity
and cognitive simulation.

9. Get Cooking!
Cooking is a highly creative act, with the cooking process mimicking the creative process you
practice in your work. Creativity feeds creativity (no pun intended), and allowing yourself to
participate in a relaxing creative activity during your downtime, such as cooking, will not only
result in a tasty meal but will also develop your creative skills.


(https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/young-couple-girlfriend-boyfriend-cooking-
together-1627051156)

Create a fun dish in the kitchen without the help of a recipe. Image via Visual Generation (https://www.shutterstock.com/image-
vector/young-couple-girlfriend-boyfriend-cooking-together-1627051156).

To really optimize the creativity-boosting power of a cookery session, set aside the cookbooks.
Creating an imaginative dish from the ingredients you have available to you helps develop
problem-solving skills and allows you to be purely creative, without any damaging results (aside
from a possibly inedible dish or messy kitchen!).

The act of taking the time to cook, rather than ordering takeout, also helps you to optimize your
rest time. Cooking might not feel restful for everyone, but it can be a fantastic way of
decompressing and switching off from the working day.

Get Cooking with 2020’s Top Food Video Trends (https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/food-

video-trends-2020)

10. Connect with Nature in Some Form

If you’re lucky enough to have a little patch of the outdoors at home — such as a garden or a
balcony — make use of it. Taking as much time as possible to connect with and immerse yourself
in nature is beneficial not only for your mental well being, but also to boost your creativity.

The link between nature and creativity has been demonstrated scientifically in a number of
studies. A 2017 study (https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?
id=10.1371/journal.pone.0051474) led by the University of Kansas found that young people who
backpacked for three days showed higher creativity and cognitive abilities.


(https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/plants-growing-nature-protection-natural-
fertilizers-1674636055)

Connecting with nature is great for your mind and body. Image via Visual Generation (https://www.shutterstock.com/image-
vector/plants-growing-nature-protection-natural-fertilizers-1674636055).

While our ability to head off into the wilderness might be merely a pipe dream during isolation, we
can all foster (or even simulate) nature at home, providing us with many of the creativity-boosting
benefits of exposure to flora and fauna. Invest in trees and plants to populate your outdoor space,
position indoor plants around your workspace, or — in absence of an outdoor area — look to
technology to simulate nature. Ask Alexa to “ask Bird Song for a song stream” to create a nature-
themed soundscape at home. Or, try the Wildfulness (http://www.getwildfulness.com/) app to
immerse yourself in soothing landscapes and nature sounds.

Cover image via Visual Generation (https://www.shutterstock.com/g/InfographicSource).

Discover more tips and techniques for developing your creative skills and boosting your
motivation and income while working from home:

Creative Ways to Make Money at Home as a Videographer

(https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/make-money-at-home-videographer)
How Freelancers and Creative Businesses are Adapting to Coronavirus
(https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/coronavirus-business-impact)
3 Ways to Make Money From Home as an Illustrator
(https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/make-money-at-home-illustrator)

Business Tips(https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/contributors/business-tips)

Contributor Support(https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/contributors/contributor-support)

Contributors(https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/contributors)

Creative Tips(https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/tips-and-tutorials/creative-tips)


 Pandemic(https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/pandemic)

Tips & Tutorials(https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/tips-and-tutorials)

Grace Fussell (https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/author/grace-fussell)

Grace is a graphic designer and design writer from the UK. With a background in anthropology, she worked in academia, media and design roles, before establishing her own
design blog, InDesignSkills.com, and design agency, Blue Whippet Studio. Her passion is all things print, branding and color!

(https://www
.shutterstock
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