We live in a tech-centric working world. Everyone is constantly bombarded by email notifications and other pieces of information that have adverse effects on our creativity and focus. There is a line between necessary communication and a distraction and it’s time to find that out.

Our cognitive skills and mental health get immensely influenced by the habits we choose in our day-today-lives.  Both — our lifestyle choices and our ability to stay creative and focused — are interconnected when we talk about evolving with our skills and abilities to prepare ourselves for the future world.

We are seeing how technology is improving every day so should our skills and creativity. We hold a limited time in a day, so, it’s crucial to choose what we do with each hour of our day.

Living with smartwatches and smartphones may assist you in becoming a better version of yourself.  Or, they may decline your overall performance and mental health — if misused.

It’s up to us, what we choose to do — do we use the technology for our betterment or the technology uses us for itself. 

Today, we even fill our empty moments with the constant use of smartphones. It is important to take out some time especially for our brains to work from daily routines. Because this is the time when our brains are able to rewire, connect and reconnect unrelated things, giving us solutions that we cannot think of otherwise. 

We can limit the impact of technology upon us and become more focused and creative every day by being intuitive and mindful of our every action.

Here are a few ways to connect with your ability to think creatively and be more focused in your everyday life.

Change your routine- let your mind wander a bit

Our mind gets is into a comfortable state when we live in a fixed routine. It doesn’t need to think out-of-the-box as everything works in an autopilot mode.  When we change our routine, for example, rising up early in the morning, we begin with a different mind set up. When we go out for a walk and look around our surroundings, lets our mind wander, the chemistry of the brain changes. New things bring us new ideas.

Manage notifications, track and schedule your social media time spent

It might sound like a hard thing to do, but surely it will bring a lot of calm and peace to your days. You can keep the notifications on for only the necessary work emails but not for every application or update. Some people also prefer to keep their phones on silent or vibration because of the same reasons. You can choose a fixed time to enjoy and spend on social media. Checking your phone in between your work, makes you lose a lot of focus and creative ideas. 

Keep your phone away from your eyesight

Sometimes we receive a text notification from someone special while we are in the middle of doing something really important, we stop and pick the phone right away to send a response. As far as you can keep your phone away from your arm’s reach the better it is. You won’t be able to see the summary of the text and you won’t get the urge to open and answer it. 

Start from where you are

So you don’t have a camera to start vlogging, do not have a computer to edit a video, don’t have an instagrammable place to showcase your art or craft–it’s okay. Start from your limitations. Be more resourceful. Use whatever you have at the moment and once you will get the returns from your projects, buy new things that you require to be better. Be clever and inventive with the restrictions you have.

Find a quiet place, go to your ‘do not disturb’ mode

To tap into your creativity, you require uninterrupted concentration. A familiar place of your own where you can tap into your creativity. Stay and work at the same place at the same time each day with your project at hand, this tricks your mind to stay focused and eliminate distractions.

Stick to deadlines

Have you ever observed why some people are only creative and focused on their work when they are bound to a job or hired for a role? Even though they are creative, however, they are not disciplined or motivated. Some people are more creative and focused when they work individually–because they are highly motivated and disciplined. So when you are working independently, it is very crucial to give yourself a set of deadlines to complete a task, one at a time.

Stay connected with the like-minds

Working in isolation can be sometimes dull and boring. Therefore, it is essential to have a creative community of your own field. The people with whom you can discuss your ideas and can openly take true criticism. 

Collect and pen down everything

Sometimes when we are traveling in a metro or a bus, while taking a shower, or working out at the gym, we get ideas. Instantly, click pictures of anything that excites you or make a note of them on a piece of paper, or in your mobile phone. Later, when you get back home you can pen them down in your everyday journal.

Stay away from conformity

One does not need to be conventional, it’s okay if you or your ideas are odd and you think they are weird. Falling into a category is not necessary until your idea is standing out from the rest. It’s as important to learn everything that goes around you as you maintain your individuality as a creator.