The Value of a Creative Outlet as a Working Professional
Until I started working full-time, I didn’t realize how regimented adult life is. I feel like I’m on a treadmill. My routine is basically wake up, go to work, go home, cook, sleep, repeat.
During the weekend, I don’t want to do anything but lounge around. I’m not growing by being lazy. Instead, I feel panic and existential dread. I’m wasting some of the most important years of my life.
Because of my growing discomfort, I decided to I need to change something. On a whim, I decided to embark on a challenge. For the next 30 days (as of Dec 1) I was to post an article every day.
Ideally, a lot of them would have to do with gaming. I chose to write about gaming because I’m hoping to make extra cash writing in this niche. The challenge is a low-risk way to test if I’d like constantly
An unintended benefit from my challenge is that I rediscovered my love of writing. Today felt like a good day to take a break from writing about games. I want to reflect on why a creative outlet, in my case writing, is good.
Stress Relief
Sometimes, work just sucks. Some reasons include too much work, not enough work, jerkish co-workers, and/or jerkish clients.
Many of the above scenarios make me want to recreate that scene from Office Space. Unfortunately, that’d likely mean I’d get fired. So instead, I channel my frustration into a creative outlet. As a bonus, my boss shouldn’t fire me for writing about video games in my off hours.
Once I focus on a writing piece I become consumed with the story, the flow, and the process. I love trying to crystalize abstract thought into a tangible product. Surprisingly, I even love editing. Sometimes Grammarly makes me want to pull my hair out. Despite our rocky relationships, I believe it forces me to write better.
Although I’m not a phenomenal writer yet, I would like to become so one day. Thus, I purchased some writing classes and have attempted to read more.
The process of refining, reshaping and rehashing, before ultimately releasing, my writing is liberating. I can focus all of my energy on one thing and have a finished product to show. Not every day will result in amazing content. I have come to peace with this fact.
In some ways, allowing myself to produce something imperfect is also a freeing experience. At work, I often feel as though what I produce has to be perfect or I’ll be fired. Creating a space where imperfect is acceptable is a nice balance to my need to perform flawlessly.
Production over Consumption
Like I previously mentioned, my dream on Saturday is to do absolutely nothing except watch funny YouTube videos and eat junk food.
Unfortunately, my existential angst doesn’t always allow that to fly. Especially recently, I’ve been highly fixated on maximizing my time.
When I’ve turned my attention to creating an article a day, I’ve realized I actually gain more joy from creating something. I enjoy the process even more if I feel like the end result brings value to other people who read my articles.
If I were to listen to all the success gurus, then I’d be on the path to massive success. I don’t believe I’m getting closer to my goals through this change in mentality, but I am a bit happier.
Surprisingly, I’m also seeing benefits in my work. Because I’ve begun to practice the art of producing, regardless of whether or not I feel like it, I’m able to show up more consistently at work. This has led to two interesting things.
Firstly, I’m just producing more work within a similar timeframe. Because I only really have an hour to pump out an ~500– 800-word article with photos, I’ve become better at using time. This has directly translated into my paid work.
Secondly, I’m better at applying “suck it up buttercup” to my projects. Often in entry-level jobs, you just have to do boring things you don’t want to do.
With writing these articles, I love it once I get into the flow, but starting is always a drag. I always have to “suck it up buttercup” and start writing before I get to a place where I’m content to continue.
Through making the production of one article a day a priority, I have started to strengthen my willpower. This has translated to me being able to do more work and work on projects that I hate and don’t feel are valuable for longer. These two skills will serve me well no matter where I go.
Personal Growth
As I’ve alluded to in the previous two sections, I have started to grow as a person because of my writing.
Professionally, I feel as though I’m more productive and capable of doing the mind-numbing, soul-crushing work required to get me through the day and paid.
Personally, I feel a little happier and 0.01% more confident in myself. I’m slowly building credibility with myself and doing something for me instead of to appease other’s wants or expectations.
I’ve slowly decided/realized that following my service year, I want to do everything in my power to never return to work in an office setting again. For me, it’s stifling and suffocating. I don’t feel connected to the work I do, I don’t get rewarded for efficiency, and I don’t get to maximize my relationships or free time in an office job.
Although I’ve only been doing this for a little under 2 weeks, I’m also already seeing changes in how I do other chores too. I’m slowly making steps towards improving my life overall because of the discipline I’m gaining by writing an article every day.
Any creative outlet, especially one intentionally pursued, can have these same outcomes. I think it’s worth everyone’s while to explore and find out what creative pursuit calls out to them. We are a species that survived because of our ability to adapt and create. To do something creative is to tap into the basic humanity that lies dormant within all of us.
