Blog: Getting Back Into a Routine

By Shahroze Rauf

I’m not going to lie; there is no easy way to do this.

Currently, I’m struggling with this in my art and my personal projects I have going on. Going into school, full time or part time, or even heading back into full hours at work is extremely difficult. Especially after the long hiatus we all experienced thanks to the pandemic. 

And some of us, like essential workers, were probably not on a hiatus, but instead working harder than ever before, while others struggled to find solutions in a time that may have caused a lot of problems.

But one thing is for certain and you can get back into it. 

How? Some tips that help me are:

• Do the bare minimum of your creative choice everyday: And this can literally mean opening up that blank page, canvas, SD-card, and just staring at it. Sometimes you just have to meditate on it, and reset your brain. And if you don’t magically start typing or drawing, that is okay, even if you are past personal deadlines (refer to last month’s blog post by me for reassurance on that!). 
• Talk to someone: Whether that’s a friend, a partner, a fellow artist/writer/poet/creator, or hell even me! I know how difficult things can be, and sometimes talking to someone about your lack of motivation can sometimes inspire you, or help you equip yourself with new ways to get over your creator’s block (and if you’re reading that, it ain’t too late, you’re already trying to fix things). 
• Go back to the basics: This can mean vastly different things for everyone, but sometimes going back to your roots and practising super easy things you learned at the beginning for your creative journey is a good way to exercise those cerebral muscles (even though the brain isn’t a muscle, I know this) and get back into some groove.

Honestly at this point, that’s all I got. I’m surprised I even managed to list down three suggestions, and lowkey these are good suggestions (says my sleep-deprived and overworked brain at 12:30 a.m.). 

Whatever you’re struggling with, just know you really are not alone. We all are trying to get back to some routine. It wasn’t easy every other September, and it sure as hell won’t be easy during a global pandemic.