For most of us, the transition from working in an office setting to working from home has come with a huge learning curve. We have all had to adjust to a new norm and with it has come some challenges—especially for us creatives. We thrive on collaboration, so this has forced us to come up with new ways of interacting. Over the past couple of weeks, I have found a few key components that have kept me not only motivated but most of all creative.

Communication is Everything

Functioning in a remote setting made us realize how important it is to keep office collaboration going. Programs such as Slack and Zoom have been vital in maintaining open lines of communication. As a creative, it can be quite challenging when you rely on feedback and opinions to improve your work. Trying to articulate through text is dicey—there’s a high chance of things getting lost in translation. Brainstorming over Zoom or even a good old fashioned phone call (what is that?) make such a difference in understanding each other.

Learning to Find New Inspiration

So, you have to stay at home, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be inspired by new things! Take this as an opportunity to find inspiration in your new work environment. It’s okay to step away from your work station every now and then to take a mental break. Go for a walk around the block, get some fresh air. Just the act of walking away and coming back can help grease the creative skids. If you need something a little more extreme, change up your routine and see what happens. Maybe instead of working in your office, take a laptop outside. Listen to a new playlist or put a show on in the background while you work. All of these things can help inspire you in ways you never knew!

Invest in Your Creative Intelligence

If you find yourself with some extra down time, take advantage of it! Now is the time to take that coding class you’ve been putting off or go back to the basics and sketch or draw. When you’re on a computer 24/7, working the other parts of your creative noodle (like using your hands to create instead of clicking a mouse), can inspire future projects.

Sites such as Lyda.com or even the Adobe website have a vast wealth of tutorials. Branching out and trying new programs or even diving deeper into the programs you think you know will only make you a better designer.

Keep Swimming, Keep Creating

It can be easy to get stuck in a rut when working remotely as a creative, but don’t let that stop you from swimming. Things like finding new inspiration or learning new skills will help you stay motivated. We’re all in this together; keep swimming, keep creating.