Weird Sh*t I Do To Stay Creative

Ten things I'll do to build some creative momentum

This week, I want to share something a little off the usual photography path. It’s about the small, strange habits I rely on to spark some creative momentum.

We’ve all been there: scrubbing our heads in the shower when, out of nowhere, a great idea hits. It kicks off a chain of thoughts, and if we’re smart, we act on it. Even if that action is as simple as writing it down.

But what if we could create those moments on purpose? And to the benefit of our environment, outside the shower? That’s the idea behind this week’s article. So, here’s a list of odd things I do to help get the creative wheels turning.

Photo credit: Maheesha Thiyagarajah

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1. Clean The Work Space

At first glance, this might sound like a clever way to avoid doing real work. But there’s one rule I follow that keeps it from turning into procrastination: I stop the moment inspiration hits.

There’s something about cleaning and organizing my office that puts me at ease. It’s a low-stakes task, just repetitive enough to quiet the noise. Within minutes, my mind starts to wander into the creative corners I’ve been too distracted to explore. Before I know it, ideas begin to surface.

The key is not to wait. My goal isn’t to clean, it’s to breed creative thoughts. As soon as I catch a thread worth pulling, I stop cleaning and follow it. I mean, that’s exactly how this article came to life—I dropped the whatever I had in my hand and started writing this list.

2. Re-watch A Favourite Film

A few weeks ago, I shared a piece on the six modern films that changed my photography. When I’m in a creative rut, I revisit one of them. It’s a way to return to familiar ground where I’m enjoying something that reminds me where I’m going.

The choice depends on where I want to land emotionally. Do I want to feel uplifted? More focused? I’ll pick a film that helps guide me there. For a couple of hours, I block out the noise and let the story pull me back into the mindset I need.

3. Purge Thoughts On Paper

This used to be a daily habit. Now that I’ve gotten better at managing stress, I do it a few times a week. First thing in the morning—before emails, meetings, or creative work—I flip to a blank page in my journal and start writing whatever’s in my head.

The grammar is a mess. The handwriting is barely legible. Run-on sentences are everywhere. Yet, none of that matters.

The goal is simple: empty my mind. It’s a way to take the weight of unnecessary thoughts and pin them to the page. to move them out of my head and into a physical space. Whenever things start to feel overwhelming, this is my reset button. It never fails to clear the mental noise before diving into creative work.

4. Ten Eternal Minutes Of Meditation

Like journaling, meditation was once a daily habit. I started with Headspace, then switched to Apple Fitness for a more human approach. These days, I practice it weekly when I need a deeper “cleaning” before starting the day.

Most people either overthink meditation and underestimate its value. During my undergraduate years, I studied its long-term effects, which is part of why it stuck with me. It’s as simple as a few minutes of focused breathing. For me, it’s ten. Ten eternal minutes to unplug from the world and come back to myself.

It’s especially grounding when I’m traveling.

5. Walk Outside With A Loved One

The benefits of walking are well documented, so I won’t get into that. What I will say is this: walking with someone you trust—someone in your inner circle—is a powerful way to work through creative or personal roadblocks.

When the weather’s good, my wife and I use these walks to catch up, reconnect, and talk through whatever’s on our minds. More often than not, she spots something I’ve missed. A blindspot in my thinking. A better angle to consider. Just having that outside perspective can be enough to shift everything.