11 Ways to Stay Creative and Sane In Lockdown

It's been almost a year since our first lockdown in Paris, and even today things haven't returned to normal. All events have been canceled, shops closed, there is an on and off lockdown and an on-going curfew.

Even though I am an introvert working from home, and my life hadn't changed much, I still had to find ways to keep my creative flow and feel somewhat normal. I want to share with you what you can do while holed up in your home without going insane.

This is how I regenerate and keep my creative flow going. Hope you find it helpful!

1. Catch up on your reading

If you’re a book junkie like me, you probably pile up books and can never catch up. I LOVE buying books, but I’m a slow reader and super busy all the time (lame excuses, I know!) so I never finish them. I have decided that I was going to use this alone-time to finally catch up on my reading and I hope to inspire you to do the same or if you are caught up — read something new!

2. Spend time in meditation

Meditation is my daily practice and how I start my days to stay in balance and flow. Most days I sit in silence and practice Mindfulness, but sometimes I like to use Insight Timer to be guided. I have a few meditations on there myself if you want to check out — click here. Spend 5–15 minutes a day (or more) in meditation and not only will it help your mental and emotional state, but your general well-being and physical health. It’s a wonderful way to regenerate and get centered.

3. Move your body!

Just because we’re inside it doesn’t mean we should be lazy! Whether it’s Yoga, HIIT or treadmill, it doesn’t matter — do whatever works for you. There are so many awesome workouts available on Youtube for free, so there is no excuse. Just do it.

4. Bullet journal

I have discovered bullet journaling last year and this has been a life-changing practice for me. It keeps me creative, organized, and productive at the same time. I simply love that I get to create and design my journal and customize it according to my preferences. It is also a beautiful meditative practice that helps you relax and enjoy the present moment. If you have spent years searching for the “perfect journal” I recommend you look into it!

5. Self-care day!

Pamper yourself and do all the grooming you need to feel good in your body, be it a bubble bath, face masks, scrubbing, doing your hair, nails, or whatever works for you. Guys, you could trim your beard/shave, do a pedicure, your nails…it’s all about nurturing your body and taking that much-needed “me time”. Enjoy!

6. Organize your closet/home

When I have time I like to organize my closet or my home. Living in a Parisian studio can sometimes be challenging, so I always have to find creative ways to keep my space clutter-free. I often donate my clothes to charity and make sure to throw away whatever “doesn’t spark joy”, as Marie Kondo would say. Use this time to get your home in order and that will help you feel better in your space.

7. Paint your new wall art (or paint just for fun!)

When I moved to Paris I started painting. Yeah, I know — what a cliché, right? In all seriousness, this city truly inspires me all the time! I bought acrylic paint, canvases and started painting for fun. Let me get this straight — I am no artist, I just like expressing myself visually. I picked some visuals I wanted to work on — such as chakra symbols — which ended up on my wall. These days, I paint things I want to decorate my home with, but you can totally just paint to express yourself. It’s such a beautiful meditative practice that keeps you in the flow. I like to play some chill music to set the mood, pour some chai latte and play with colors. Try it out, you might like it!

8. Netflix & Chill (literally)

This is a great time to catch up on your favorite shows and discover new ones. Netflix, Prime or even just following your favorite Youtubers is good enough. Pick something you like and enjoy some downtime. Relax.

9. Art Journaling / Scrapbooking

This is something I discovered recently and I love it! When I started bullet journaling I ended up discovering this girl — Jordan Clark —whose aesthetics are so beautiful and calming that she got me hooked! Check out her videos about art journaling to get inspired. Basically, pick whatever images, text, paper, stickers, washi tapes you like and try to combine them together in a beautiful notebook of your choice. You can also include some affirmations or quotes to complement the images. This is another activity I find quite meditative, fun, and helpful to stay in my creative flow.

10. Bake a cake

A few years ago, when I moved to Paris, I discovered I could bake! My primary interest was to find recipes I could do without using eggs and dairy, as I had started exploring a plant-based diet. Turns out — you can make yummy cakes! Whether it’s baking a cake or trying a new recipe, enjoying some creative time in the kitchen can also be a useful way to spend your time indoors. You could even do a prep meal for the whole week! Most of all — have fun!

11. Try Origami!

Ever since forever I’ve been obsessed with Japan, so I like to learn more about the country and its culture. One of the things I found quite fun, creative, and meditative is Origami. I bought some paper for origami, found tutorials on Youtube, and played around. It’s pretty cool to discover what you can do with simple pieces of paper and again - very relaxing practice for alone time.

Let me know which activities you like the most and if you’d like to see me doing all of the above — CLICK HERE