What personal habits feed (my) creative work?
- Seng Flo
- Feb 18
- 3 min read
We often talk about tools, strategies, and results.
But lately, I’ve been thinking more about the quieter, not so productive things, the habits that sit in the background and gently shape how I work.
Not big, dramatic routines.
Just small, everyday practices (although some require more organisation) that feed my curiosity and keep me creatively awake. They are things I include naturally, like a ‘craving’ I have to see inspiring stuff, finding beauty and interest in mundane things ; or not so naturally, things that will require an effort from but that I deem necessary, like reading.
Here’s what that looks like for me.
Getting out of the house
Museums and galleries, yes, that’s the obvious one for me - but also the street.
Signage. Musicians. Shop windows. Street art. Flowers. Maps. Smells. Foods.
Inspiration isn’t always curated, and some of the best ideas come from simply paying attention to what’s around me.
Books
I lost the habit of reading for a while, and I’m slowly rebuilding it. For some time I didn’t have the space, energy to dive into a big book.
I can easily be put off by dense, tiny writing, the wrong font (rarer though!).
I absolutely love children books (finding the selection nowadays amazing!), books about design (!) and I always have enjoyed a good detective/crime novel but having a hard time finding the right authors who get me hooked.
I’m drawn to illustrated books: they feel lighter, more tactile, and often spark ideas in unexpected ways.
Stories, in any form, always leave something behind.
Podcasts (in waves)
I’m not consistent. I binge, then forget podcasts exist for weeks. Still, when I do listen, certain conversations linger… and resurface later when I’m working.
Doom scrolling (yes, really)
Let’s call it what it is. Sometimes a random tutorial, tool, or feature sparks an idea I want to test straight away. It’s not always productive but curiosity often hides there.
(note: I’m not recommending this one which I consider a bad habit!)
Travel
When I’m on holidays with my family, I keep my eyes opened for anything: new landscapes, cultures, people, a new way of doing things.
Travel helps me see things differently and notice details I’d otherwise miss. It loosens my usual way of thinking.
Check out these blog posts if you want to know what I find inspiring when I travel:
Creating and experimenting
Drawing. Collage. Photography.
No pressure, no brief, just making things with whatever I have to hand.
This is often where ideas quietly take shape before they’re ready to be useful.
I like to draw with my kids too.
I realise this looks very visual for me but it can be anything for you: inventing a new game with your kids, building a den, poetry, playing with words, creating a new song if you’re musical, baking…
Conversations
Talking to a friend.
A peer.
A stranger in the street.
Connecting. Sharing ideas. Feeling part of something. Belonging.
A few months ago, I saw a woman sketching on a small bridge I walk past all the time. I slowed down. I watched from a distance. I wanted to ask her what she was drawing.
I didn’t.
I assumed she wanted quiet. Space.And I’ve regretted it ever since.
Some conversations are unexpected. You never quite know what you might discover: a new perspective, a new reference, a shared experience.
Creativity doesn’t just come from observation. It comes from interaction.
Not revolutionary but essential
None of these habits are groundbreaking on their own.
But together, they create space for observation, reflection, and experimentation and that feeds directly into my work.
If you’re feeling creatively stuck, maybe the answer isn’t another strategy but paying attention to what already fuels you.
What personal habits quietly support your work or creativity?
If you’re curious about how process, identity and observation shape branding, you might enjoy my newsletter, hyperFOCUSED.
You can subscribe here (scroll down!).
Comments