How To Surpass Your Creative Limits And Fill A Page A Day

Whether you’re a true artist, or looking for a way to enhance your self care routine, being creative is excellent for our mental health.  The Covid-19 pandemic has given so many people the opportunity to take up a new art form.  Creative hobbies such as drawing, sketching, writing and various forms of painting have become much more popular in 2020.  But how do you continue to develop your creative limits post pandemic?  The best advice is to fill a page a day with your artwork. 

How to Surpass Your Creative Limits and Fill a Page a Day
*This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate and/or paid links which means that if you click on one of these links and buy a product, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Rest assured that I only recommend products that I love from companies that I trust.
How to Surpass Your Creative Limits and Fill a Page a Day

From taking breaks, indulging in thought-provoking media, and basking in eureka moments that last for nights on end, we all have our methods of training our skills in drawing, painting, sketching, and bringing our artworks to life. In fact, it’s quite hard to pin down a cookie-cutter description of how artists improve and make progress, other than abiding by principles like the golden ratio and proportion, to name a few.

However, if there’s one thing we can all agree on, to improve your art, you need to make art because skills come from hard work and not some magical potion you brew from inside your mind. And, in light of this universal truth, we think it’s high time that every artist must practice filling a page a day, whether just doodles or complete stories, to surpass their creative limits.

Art Therapy
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Why Even Bother?

Now, you’re not wrong for being indifferent. If you already have a schedule or technique that works best for your creative goals, then more power to you. But, there are also advantages to filling a page a day that can help hone your skill holistically and give you an edge against the average artist online. At first, the benefits may seem small, but they will stack up and eventually prove worthwhile over time.

    • Journal of Ideas: Let’s be real, we’ve all been through a drought in creativity, a time when nothing comes to mind and brain juices have run dry. For the hobby artist, this is perfectly fine and won’t affect them too much. But, for those that depend on art as a livelihood, this can eat into their mental state and put pressure. However, by filling a page a day, you slowly build a journal of ideas, a personal log that you can go back to when you’re not feeling your best. 
    • Tracks Your Progress: Filling a page a day is also an excellent method of tracking your progress and evaluating how much you’ve improved over the past months. You can even use some of the artwork you’re most proud of as welcome additions to your portfolio. And, regardless if you treat art as a hobby or job, it doesn’t hurt to know where you’re at with your artistic journey. 

How To Stay Spontaneous

Likewise, some people find it difficult to make anything creative when staring at a blank page and don’t really have any concept or description to base off. So, to get you started on that daily grind of filling pages with doodles and love, here are some ways you can stay spontaneous and on your toes:

#1 Try Different Concepts

As artists, we have a tendency to stick to our comfort zones and focus on things we’re used to making, not because we don’t want to try different concepts, but because we’re more well-versed in those subjects. However, since this act of filling a page a day is for your personal gain, there’s no reason to shy away from trying something new.

    • Use Templates: From free character design templates to countless creative prompts, there are millions of launchpads readily available online that you can use. If you find it troubling to make one, then use someone else’s because there’s no harm if it’s just for fun. Plus, you can limit yourself within the boundaries of that template. 
    • Follow a Story: Another great way to get out of a creative rut and narrow-minded approach is by thinking up a story. Whether it’s a sci-fi samurai trapped in the future or about a modern and powerful woman’s quest for love and beauty through skin-tightening facial treatments, these concepts can inspire multiple ideas. 
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#2 Reference Existing Material

Many artists take pride in creating original work, but there’s also nothing wrong with exploring existing material and building off the worlds of others. There’s a reason why they’re famous, and that’s because they look beautiful, astonishing, and are well-planned out. So, why not give it your personal touch as a way to train your creative spirit?

    • Game Design: Games are a treasure trove of beautiful concept art and deeply invested lore. From the world of Half-Life with the Black Mesa incident to League of Legends and their numerous champion skins, there’s a vast world of game design for you to explore. And, with that extensive world, you can go crazy and have the freedom to give your spin. 
    • Natural History: Nature is the best source of inspiration, and what better place to reference than going back to natural history? Plenty of beauty can be found in the living organism found on Earth and the plants that surface every corner. So, whether it’s sketching or sculpting, the ideas are limitless. 

Don’t Let Creative Blocks Get in Your Way

Look, if there’s one thing the collective art community despises, it’s those pesky creative blocks that get in your way. They strip you of your imagination and leave you feeling lifeless. So, before you toss this practice to the side, please give filling a page a day a chance, and we can guarantee you that you’ll never regret it.

7 Days of Self Care
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A new year marks the right time to start filling a page a day with your beautiful creative artwork.  It is something that can easily be incorporated into your self care routine.  If you’re quarantined at home, then taking up a new art form can be a great way to pass the time and help you feel less isolated.  What will you fill your page a day with?

100 Self Care Ideas That Are Social Distancing Approved

Anyone who isn’t currently practicing social distancing is putting others at risk.

With the COVID-19 Coronavirus on the loose, many people are retreating to their homes and avoiding large groups, i.e. social distancing.  Not all are finding this is easy, with the Millennials and Gen Z’s getting most of the blame.  Whether you’re currently serving a 14 day self isolation, or you’re still working and living life, you’ve likely noticed an increased level of boredom.  Most places are closed, events are cancelled, and even hanging out with friends is frowned upon. So what are you supposed to do during this quarantine? 

Well, my friends, it sounds like the perfect time to practice self care!
100 Self Care Ideas that are Social Distancing Approved
*This post contains affiliate and/or paid links which means that if you click on one of these links and buy a product, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Rest assured that I only recommend products that I love from companies that I trust. Furthermore, I am not a medical professional and nothing in this post should be taken as medical advice. I am simply a mother who has been there and lived to tell the tale.

Pamper Your Body

With the added amount of stress due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, your body is likely in less than optimal health.  Social distancing provides us with an unlimited amount of time for self care without feeling guilty.  We don’t have to sacrifice time for self care because we suddenly have an abundance of it.  (Besides, with all the frequent hand washing and cleaning, I’m sure we could all use a little extra pampering.)

1. Soak in the bathtub with a bath bomb or Epsom salts.

2. Take a thermotherapy shower by starting hot and finishing cold.

3. Give yourself a manicure or pedicure.

4. Deep condition your hair. 

5. Apply a face mask.

6. Dry brush your skin

7. Exfoliate.

8. Moisturize.  

9. Give yourself a massage. 

10. Try acupressure

11. Get plenty of sleep.  

12. Do a detox. 

13. Drink lots of water

14. Make a smoothie or fresh green juice.

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Work on Your Mental Health

The media coverage on the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic has us all stressing out.  All of the stress and anxiety is bound to have a detrimental effect on our mental health.  Plus, having to stay isolated can exacerbate those symptoms. The best thing we can do for ourselves is to use this time of self isolation and social distancing to work on improving our mood and mental health. 

15. Try online cognitive behavior therapy.  

16. Sign up for talk therapy via video conference 

17. Practice meditation.  

18. Listen to music.  

19. Do yoga. 

20. Write in a journal. 

21. Light incense or diffuse essential oils.  

22. Listen to a podcast.  

23. Find a way to help a charity.  

24. Read a self help book

25. Nurture a house plant.  

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Laugh and Play

Self care should never be all work and no play.  In fact, laughter is a great mood booster and we should find all kinds of ways to laugh and be playful, even while social distancing.  

26. Play a video game or app. 

27. Play a board game.  

28. Work on a large puzzle.  

29. Doodle a mandala. 

30. Watch your favorite movies. 

31. Laugh along with some stand up comedy or a funny movie. 

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Keep in Touch

We often think of self care as being alone but taking care of ourselves means doing good things for others, spending time with those we love and sharing pieces of who we are.  This might seem hard to do while practicing social distancing, but there are still ways to keep in touch with others. 

32. Call a friend.

33. Video chat with someone.

34. Make a YouTube video.

35. Write someone an email.

36. Send a letter.

37. Mail a care package.

38. Deliver gift baskets to neighbors.

39. Decorate your front window.

40. Host a Netflix watch party.

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Spend Time Outside

We need to spend as much time outside as possible while social distancing.  Of course it’s important to stay away from crowds and limit our interactions as much as possible, but accessing fresh air is so important for our bodies both physically and mentally. 

41. Sit in your backyard.

42. Take a nap outside.

43. Lounge in a hammock.

44. Do yard work.

45. Go for a walk around the neighborhood.

46. Go for a drive in the country.

47. Eat a meal outside.

48. Pitch a tent in your backyard and camp out for a night.

49. Paint your fence or deck.

50. Make a fairy garden.

51. Paint some rocks.

52. Have an outdoor bonfire.

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Source: https://floridapanhandle.com/blog/beach-picnic/

Declutter Your Space

Decluttering is a form of self care because it’s something that we tend to put off doing.  Then the clutter sits there, reminding us of our failures and causing undue stress.  Use this time at home to deep clean, declutter and minimize possessions. 

53. Deep clean your kitchen and bathrooms.

54. Repaint or redecorate a room in your house.

55. Sort through your wardrobe and donate any clothes you don’t wear.

56. Organize your home KonMari style.

57. Clean out your closets.

58. Sort through your shoes.

59. Sort through your accessories and jewelry.

60. Declutter your cabinets.

61. Clean out your makeup bag.

62. Clean the garage or basement.

63. Go through all your old electronics, DVD’s, CD’s, cables, etc.

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Tap into your Artistic Side

Art therapy is a super important way to practice self care while social distancing.  Being creative means using our brains as well as developing hand eye coordination.  Even if you don’t consider yourself an artistic person, you might be surprised with what you can come up with.

64. Draw or paint a picture.

65. Sketch something outside your window.

66. Color in a coloring book.

67. Create your own story book.

68. Make a craft completely out of recycled material.

69. Build something out of wood.

70. Make your own dough and sculpt something.

71. Build a bird house.

72. Bake cookies, cupcakes or some other type of delicious dessert.

73. Cook a hearty homemade soup or stew.

74. Start an indoor herb garden.

75. Sew, knit, crochet or macrame.

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Learn Something New

Use this opportunity to learn something.  Learning is a way to improve our brain health.  Plus it offers a distraction from anxiety and loneliness and can boost our self esteem.  As adults, we often refrain from learning new things, or we start them but never seem them through.  Learning a new skill or hobby is truly making the most of social distancing.

76. Take an online class.

77. Watch YouTube tutorial videos.

78. Read an instructional book.

79. Watch a documentary.

80. Find a new way to utilize something you don’t use anymore.

81. Take an online photography course.

82. Practice hand lettering or calligraphy.

83. Learn how to play a musical instrument.

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Get Your Heart Pumping

Exercise is one of the most important parts of self care.  There’s no excuses while locked up at home with nothing to do.  If your local gym is closed, check to see if they’re offering online workout videos instead.  And don’t worry if you don’t have a home gym, there are so many different ways to stay physically active at home. 

84. Ride a stationary bike or run on a treadmill.

85. Try some online workout videos.

86. Stretch.

87. Dance.

88. Plank.

89. Run up and down the stairs.

90. Focus on improving your pelvic floor health.

91. Work out with an exercise ball.

92. Skip rope.

93. Climb a tree.

94. Do squats and/or lunges.

95. Jump on a trampoline.

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Be Present 

The world looks a little scary right now.  Try to focus on the positive aspects instead.  We are living in a moment of history, so document it.  Take photos, write about it and enjoy every single moment.  Use your time wisely and continue to have hope for the future.  When this is all over, will you come out of it a better person?

96. Take at least one photo each day.

97. Cuddle with your spouse, kids, pet or even a stuffed animal.

98. Sit peacefully and do absolutely nothing.

99. Work on your bucket list.

100. Make a list of everything you miss doing and plan to do again once this global pandemic is over.


100 Self Care Ideas that are Social Distancing Approved
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