How to make space in your week to experiment with creativity
Even if your schedule is full and your brain is fried.
I’ve always wanted to try making plaster canvas art. I bought canvases and plaster two summers ago. And yet… Maybe this is the year.
You want to feel more creative. You know it’s something you miss, or maybe something you’ve never really let yourself explore.
But when exactly are you supposed to do that?
Between work, dishes, appointments, kids (or fur kids), and trying to remember if you already reheated your coffee three times today, finding time for creativity can feel… unrealistic.
I get it. I live it.
But here’s the thing: creativity doesn’t have to be a major time commitment. You don’t need a studio, a quiet afternoon, or a burst of inspiration from the heavens.
You just need a tiny bit of space. And a shift in how you think about what “counts.”
Let me show you how I make space for it, even when life is full and messy and real.
1 | Stop waiting for the perfect moment
For years, I had this idea that if I was going to be creative, I needed the right vibe. Clean table. Long stretch of time. Maybe candles. Definitely silence.
You know what that got me? Nothing. Zero art. No joy. Just pressure.
Now? I give myself permission to try something small, even if the dog is barking, my desk is cluttered, and I only have ten minutes.
Let go of the “ideal.” Make a bit of a mess. Something is better than nothing.
Read: How creative expression improves your mental health
2 | “Creativity snacks” are underrated
Not everything has to be a big, meaningful project.
Sometimes my entire creative win for the day is doodling a sad blob with weird hair while on hold with customer service. Or sticking a random quote on a sticky note and slapping it on my wall.
That counts.
Here are a few snack-sized creative things I actually do:
Doodle on the back of junk mail
Take a photo of a weird-looking tree (my personal obsession)
Rearrange the stuff on my desk just to see if it feels different
Make a dramatic 3-song playlist called “Rainstorm Vibes but I Still Have to Do Laundry”
It doesn’t have to be impressive. It just has to happen.
3 | Stack it onto stuff you already do
Trying to carve out new time can feel impossible. So don’t.
Instead, piggyback creativity onto things you’re already doing. Let’s call it “stealth-mode creativity”.
Examples:
While waiting in the car? I’ll open my notes app and write a few random sentences. Sometimes they’re poems. Sometimes they’re to-do lists with dramatic flair.
While cooking? I play music and pretend I’m on a cooking show. Don’t judge me. (A smart person would record myself and start a YouTube channel. Two birds…)
Folding laundry? I try to match socks by “vibe” instead of color. It’s dumb. It’s fun. It works.
This way, I don’t have to “find” time. I just use what’s already there.
4 | Make it ridiculously easy to start
If you have to dig through five drawers and a storage bin to find your paints, you won’t start. Ask me how I know.
I’ve learned to keep little creative setups where I can see them:
A tray with markers and a notebook on my kitchen table
A folder on my desktop labeled “Creative Nonsense” (actual name)
A glue stick and a stash of scrap paper in my nightstand—because apparently, bedtime collage is now a thing I do
Make starting so easy it’s hard to avoid.
5 | Let go of the idea that it has to be meaningful
Some days, what I create feels thoughtful. Reflective. Kind of beautiful.
Other days, it’s a cat with spaghetti arms and one eye bigger than the other.
Both days are valid.
Creativity isn’t about making something to show the world. It’s about showing up for yourself in a way that feels different from the rest of your day.
It’s a reminder that you’re not just here to get things done. You’re also here to explore. To play. To reconnect with parts of yourself you forgot were even there.
Want a low-pressure way to try it?
If you want to ease into creative play without overthinking it, I’ve got you.
What did you like to create when you were a child? Drop it in the comments.
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At Intendify, we break life down into 12 key areas and offer guided paths to help you reflect, plan, and take action—so you can start living more intentionally, one step at a time.
It’s like having a life coach in your pocket, minus the awkward eye contact.
The Creativity life area can help you reconnect, experiment, and make space for joy. No talent or big projects required.