E41 - 15 minutes to a smarter, more creative YOU!
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[00:00:00] Last week, Tom and I were on vacation and we stayed at a little cottage right along Lake Michigan. So a week ago today, we took a tandem ride from Alamo to Kalamazoo, Michigan along the Calhaven bike trail. It was a beautiful sunny day and a gorgeous ride as we biked into the downtown area of Kalamazoo to have lunch at Bell's brewery.
Shout out to Bell's. And some of the best onion rings I've had in a long time. Yum. Now the bike lanes in Kalamazoo are really nice. And at one of the intersections, while we were waiting for our green light to proceed, I saw this girl walking along the sidewalk up to the intersection and she had her phone [00:01:00] just in inches from her eyes.
And I was really worried that she was going to walk right out into traffic because she seemed totally immersed in whatever was happening on her phone screen. And she managed to realize that she needed to stop for the light, but she never moved her phone away from her face. And when the light changed with phone in front of her face, she walked right across the street.
Never moving that screen, that was nearly touching her nose. It seemed to me that she was very used to walking and watching whatever was fascinating on her phone instead of looking around to see the world around her. And as I watched her walk away, I was partially worried for her overall safety for the rest of the day, and I was partially amazed that she was able to maneuver her way through the busy [00:02:00] streets.
Obviously paying more attention to her phone than what was happening in front of her,And it made me wonder
just how much time she spent on an entire day on her phone. So here's what I discovered today. according to a story from explodingtopics. com, in 2024, the average adult will spend nearly five hours per day on their cell phone.
Wow. To me, this seems like a crazy amount of time. But if that is the average, that means that there are people spending more than five hours a day on their phone. But I bet this time is spent in like bursts of moments, five minutes here, 15 minutes there, you know, little chunks of time that whoosh, add up to [00:03:00] five or more hours per day.
So if you think about it that way, this must be a truism. The average person finds slivers of time during their day. To do things like watch their phone screen in small pieces of time.
And I'll bet that a section of time that is easy to, well, have evaporate from our day in small pieces as we scroll squander moment after moment of time during our day, one of those little sections of time could be 15 minute increments. That's probably an easy amount of time too, So, squander, or whatever term you'd like to use for what we are doing on our phone for five hours a day.
Now, [00:04:00] if the average person spends five or more hours a day on their phone, take a second and ask yourself, if I would have, like, am I one of those people that spends five hours a day on my phone? Oh my goodness. I hope I'm not. But if I even spend one or two or three hours a day on my phone, how often Do I tell myself at the end of a day, Whoa, I was so busy today that I didn't have time to fill in the blank.
Like, I didn't have time to exercise. I didn't have time to do this chore that I thought was really important. So I think, and call me crazy, But, if we can find an average of five hours a day to scroll on our phone, we proooobably [00:05:00] have time to do stuff that we think we're too busy doing.
to do. Does that make sense to you too? Kind of is a wake up call for me. I don't know about you, but five hours a day. So now let's take a look at this five hours
And we know there is 60 minutes in an hour, right? Yeah, we all know that. So an hour divided into four, that equals 15 minutes.
Now, 15 minutes. That doesn't seem like a lot of time at all, does it? You would wait 15 minutes for a table at your favorite restaurant if they were real busy, right? I know I would. 15 minute wait, that seems like nothing. A 15 minute drive to just about anywhere, well, to me here living in the Chicago area, that is a short trip.
Now we've learned that the average person spends about [00:06:00] five hours a day on their phone. And there are 300 minutes. in five hours. So if you divide 300 by 15, you get 20. So that means that there are 20 segments. of 15 minutes in five hours of phone time. Now, my friend, if you're thinking, please, please stop with the math, Beth.
You're making my head spin. Just get to the point. Here's the point. If the average person spends five hours on the phone each day, what if you took just one quarter of one minute of those five hours. So we're talking just 15 minutes. And what if you put this quarter hour, this 15 minutes each day, towards a daily creative practice?
Imagine where your creativity could take you in one month [00:07:00] if you made that commitment. Oh my goodness. Let's just think on that for a moment. So, okay, bear with me for just a little more math again, okay? Now, if you spend 15 minutes a day on a creative practice,
here's how that math adds up. In one month, and one month averages 30 days. So 15 minutes a day times 30 days. equals 450 minutes.
and 450 minutes equals 7. 5 hours that you could spend on your creativity in one month. By just giving yourself 15 minutes each day to be creative. Wow. Now, let's look at this big picture, okay? [00:08:00] In one year, that's 365 days. 15 minutes a day times 365 days, that equals 5, 475 minutes.
5, 475 minutes equals 91. 25 hours. Wow. Wow. Wow. In one year. So by just setting aside 15 minutes, taking 15 minutes out of the five hours that you might spend on your phone each day by reserving 15 minutes of that each day to put towards your creativity, you can create today over 91 hours of creativity.
in one year. Oh, wow. Imagine how that will help you rocket your [00:09:00] creativity and your creative goals and your creative success with this just one tiny focus. Now I'm saying this would be your creative Practice, your daily creative practice. Not that that's the only creativity you're going to do all year, but there's something about having a creative practice that you do day in, day out for 15 minutes a day that will be something that is repetitive.
And you're going to find that it does something powerful to the way you think about your creativity and the way you believe in your creativity. 15 minutes per day. Wow. So hey there, my friend, welcome back to BDI Create Today. [00:10:00] This is a podcast that inspires you to embrace your creativity no matter how busy your life gets.
and today we are realizing that we can be a smarter creative. in just 15 minutes per day. Yes, you heard me right. 15 minutes a day. And today we are discovering why having a daily creative practice is so important. And we'll back it up with a little bit of science.
I'm going to give you some real world tips for fitting 15 minutes of creativity into your life. And then my friend stick around for news about my upcoming doodle meditation workshop. This is going to help you get your daily practice started and it's going to show you how you can keep it going. And it's going to [00:11:00] also give you guidance on how you can manifest your creative goals.
All in this same 15 minutes per day. Pretty nice. So what are we waiting for? Let's jump in. first, you might wonder, so I get the 15 minutes, Beth, but what's the big deal about a daily creative practice? What is that? Why? Well, making time for creativity every day It's a lot like exercising. Just like we all know that regular physical exercise strengthens your body by engaging your muscles, having a regular creative practice strengthens your mind by engaging your brain.
And science shows that regular creative activity boosts mental resilience. So, having a regular [00:12:00] creative practice. It's going to enhance your ability to solve problems. A regular creative practice also helps you discover new ways of expressing yourself and makes you more aware of how you can process emotions.
So more importantly, a regular creative practice gives you a moment in the day. That's all yours. No deadlines, no expectations, just you and your creative passion. And even just 15 minutes can make a huge difference in how you think and you feel about yourself Your potential and your creativity. Now let's back up the importance of a daily practice and let's talk about how science sees creativity enhancing your life. Here's the good news. [00:13:00] Research shows that engaging in a daily creative practice can improve cognitive function, it can reduce stress, and even enhance your overall well being. One study from the Journal of Positive Psychology found that people who spent time on creative activities felt significantly happier and more energized the next day.
So if you are doing that every day, Imagine. So creativity isn't just a fun hobby. It is a fun hobby, but it's not just a fun hobby. It also impacts your mental health in powerful ways. And you can read more from this article in the show notes. And here's the thing. When you allow your brain to break free from routine tasks, Like scrolling on your phone, and [00:14:00] instead you use this time to explore creative outlets, you'll increaseNeuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to form new neural pathways. This means when you adapt a creative practice into your day, even just 15 minutes, your mind becomes sharper and more adaptable. So, just in case you're thinking, well, this sounds great, Beth, but 15 minutes? What can I possibly do in 15 minutes a day that will be creative and will make a difference?
Here's a list of a few ideas to help you get started with a daily creative practice. in just 15 minutes. Idea one, write a micro story or a poem. So you could use a prompt, or you can write about just what's on your mind or what you're seeing at the moment. And in just 15 minutes of writing, [00:15:00] it's going to help you tap into those deeper thoughts.
The more you do this, the easier it will become. Idea two, do a craft or a DIY project. So, you know, if you're a knitter, knit a few rows or you know what, just paint on a rock or add a page to a scrapbook. Simple crafts like this or projects that you can break into 15 minutes at a time, these will all be perfect for you to start your daily creative.
Practice. Idea number three, brainstorm ideas. This is one of my favorites and I do this every morning. Grab a notebook and jot down your day's journey or add ideas to your notebook for your next project. Whether it's art or writing or a new craft that you're considering, it's all good.
It's all [00:16:00] for you. Idea number four, mindful coloring. So go get yourself a coloring book and grab some crayons and just color. Yeah, like we did when we were kids. Enjoy a brief escape into the Zen of just coloring shapes. And my friend. It's okay if you color outside the lines. idea number five, and this is last but not least, let me help you actually accomplish this creative idea of a daily creative practice.
This is a simple and super creative daily project. And that is just doodle. Grab a pen, grab a pencil, grab a paintbrush, and just allow your hand to move freely [00:17:00] and just create what's on your mind. And my friend, here's the thing. You are invited to join me this fall to doodle with me because I'm going to show you some secrets that you can add to your doodle.
To make it even more powerful. I've created this incredible online workshop. It's part, learn a daily creative practice and part doodle vision board. It's a clever way to not only figure out how to get into a routine of doing something creative for yourself, for 15 minutes of creative practice, but it also introduces
you to how your doodles can help you focus on the goals or dreams that you have about your creativity. or life in general. I will guide you about how to focus your imagination to doodle with ease, without pressure, without [00:18:00] judgment.
And in just a few minutes a day.and if you're unfamiliar with doodling, this is a mindful meditative online workshop that is just going to relax your mind and allow your creativity to just flow naturally.
I'll be there to help you. and my friend, when you doodle, your brain relaxes. Reducing stress and anxiety, improving your focus, and even aiding your emotional processing. And if you're looking for a new creative challenge this fall, come and register for the workshop and watch your creativity soar.
Doodling is much more than just random scribbling. Here are just a few of the benefits of how doodling can make you happier in heart, mind, body, and soul.[00:19:00]
Number one, doodling increases your creativity and your problem solving. See, doodling activates the brain's default mode network, which is a fancy way to say, The area that is responsible for solving creative problems and creating idea generation. So when you're doodling, you're allowing your subconscious mind to work through thoughts and ideas and find solutions without the constraints of the mind.
of active thinking, which sometimes makes you feel a little bit stressed or anxious, right? So having this relaxed brain leads to unexpected insights. Number two, doodling improves your emotional well being. So, doodling provides this simple outlet for self expression. It can help release pent up emotions and help you [00:20:00] realize paths to goals that you were not consciously aware of.
The act of putting pen or pencil or paintbrush to paper and doodle daily allows for well deserved moments of emotional release, which can help you improve your mood. And your emotional state. And number three, doodling can enhance your memory. So here's the thing, the brain's involvement with simple motor activity, like drawing shapes and patterns, helps with retaining and processing more information.
It's a visual form of note taking as our brains often remember, images. Better than words. So, are you ready to start 15 minutes of daily practice? Are you ready to strengthen your brain through some simple doodles? [00:21:00] Come and join me online for this doodle workshop. You're going to be able to
choose your date and save your seat at the workshop by going to www dot bdi create Do Today and scroll down until you see events. Click on events, it's gonna take you to the workshop and.
to get a live link that will take you right there. Just look at the show notes and you'll be able to pop right on to the events page. So by now, I hope that you've discovered that finding 15 minutes a day to have a simple creative practice. Well, it's as easy as taking just a sliver of a moment out of your total daily phone time.
And then. Taking this little sliver of time and allowing yourself to have fun [00:22:00] with just a bit of time where you are just Unapologetically you and creative My friend you now know how important a daily creative practice can be
So I hope that today you'll find some time to just pull 15 minutes away from that overall phone time and just exhale and be creatively yourself.
Review the simple quick list we discussed to get creative in just 15 minutes a day. And consider joining me online for my Doodle Meditation Workshop. You can register at www. bdi create. today. Go to the events and find the Doodle Meditation Workshop.
This workshop is the perfect way to kickstart a daily creative habit and it will help you build your creative confidence as you [00:23:00] realize goals for your creative work. Having a daily creative practice will help you find more happiness in your life.
so my friend, I really hope to see you at my online workshop.
And while you're on the Create Today website, check out all the resources.
that the Create Today website has to share.
if you found a few nuggets of inspiration with today's episode, be sure to share the Create Today with Beth Buffington podcast with your friends and your family. if you have a moment, write a review and remember to subscribe to the Create Today podcast.
That way you'll be sure to know when the next episode of Create Today is ready to share with you and give you more inspiration and tips to help you on your creative journey.So until next time, find 15 minutes in your day today [00:24:00] to create today. And no matter how much time you spend on your phone today, stay creative, my friend.
00:00 Vacation Tales: Biking in Kalamazoo
02:15 The Phone Obsession: A Modern Dilemma
06:30 The Power of 15 Minutes: Transforming Your Day
09:54 Welcome to BDI Create Today
12:47 The Science Behind Daily Creativity
14:37 Creative Ideas for Your 15-Minute Practice
17:05 Join the Doodle Meditation Workshop
21:35 Final Thoughts: Embrace Your Creative Journey
Discover the resources inside the Create-Today Community
Sign up for Workshops!
https://www.bdi-create.today/workshop-events-calendar
Checkout the Create-Today Website
https://www.bdi-create.today
Links to the research from today’s episode:
Article on Average Daily Phone Usage:
https://explodingtopics.com/blog/smartphone-usage-stats
Article on the Science behind a Creative Activities:
https://www.psypost.org/engaging-in-creative-activities-predicts-heightened-life-satisfaction-and-happiness-study-finds/
