There is no limit to our screen time lately. With office work stretching to more than 10 hours to binge watching on Netflix over weekends. It’s difficult to know, how much screen time is too much screen time?

As a designer it comes with many more challenges. We need a break, but we need something creative to fiddle with at the same time. 

Here, I am sharing a few ways that helped me find inspiration offline (also at home)! Hope you find some ideas too, keep reading!

Go Green – Well, whoever knows me would know, I am a big crazy plant lady and I get it from my mom! There is something so soothing about table plants, house plants, wild plants, potted plants, basically any plant! Fill your workspace with these, or maybe your window sill… I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Zoom in/ Zoom out – Have you ever looked something really up close, that you lose the sense of the object? If you have not, try looking closely at the textures or your bed sheet, those threads and the stitching, it’s beautiful! Use your camera to magnify. You might end up with some really cool wallpapers. I have tried to use them as backgrounds for my artworks, created seamless digital patterns and so much more.

Make new colour palette? – Look up at the skies. Yes its that simple!

Create your own physical library – This is my favourite. There is something so magical to just flip through illustrated books. Order if you can, look through them, read them! It fills me with so much inspiration. When I pick my old books, I remember why I chose to be a designer and illustrator in the first place! Go check out books from Tara publications, Little Latitude, Chronicle books and there are many more. I have one favourite store in each city I have lived in. Delhi- Bahrisons Booksellers Bangalore- Blossoms Bookstore Mumbai- Kitabkhana Do check them out and see if they are taking orders.

Organize workspace – Yes, yes! The old cliche. But, if you really want to declutter your thoughts this is the way to go. I have created 2 separate workspaces for myself, one is for my office work, with laptop, cables and headphones. While the other one is my watercolor and crafts desk. I have filled it up with sketchbooks, brushes, markers and everything crafty. This helps me stay focussed while I am at work and keeps me excited when it’s time to doodle in the sketchbook. Austin Kleon talks about this idea in his book Steal Like an Artist, and it has helped me a lot!

Mark your boundaries – Make small nooks in your room, or your home. Eating, sleeping and working in the same room or sometimes on the same table, can be very challenging. Earlier, going to the office and coming back home, gave us the required shift in our mind. This shift made us get out of the work zone and enter a more relaxed zone. Now we need different objects to remind us of different activities. Even if you are in a small room, divide it into your workstation and relaxing nook. I came across this great video online which I will link below. I am sure you will like it!

Go through old sketches and work – I have tons of unfinished art pieces, scribbles and old sketchbooks. They are a collection of my journey and thought process. Whenever I look back at those, I remember what was my inspiration at that point of time and how much I have grown. Revisiting them sparks new inspiration for my current projects.

I know we would all have wanted to take a vacation, go for a long walk, visit an art gallery or some museum, but there is still a lot we can do. Creativity comes from within and change of perspective. You can imagine this time as a reboot period and build whatever you would want to for yourself. Stay rested and healthy 🙂

I am happy that you could read it till the end! I am attaching here a few videos that helped me understand a few concepts better, and made my life a little easier. Hope this inspires you to take charge!

Book stores:

https://lbb.in/bangalore/blossom-book-house/

https://lbb.in/delhi/bahrsions-bookstore-the-one-c56741/