How To Create More & Consume Less

Whether it’s scrolling through Instagram, binge-watching Netflix, or buying items on our Amazon Prime accounts, we seem to be in a perpetual state of consumerism. We’ve given up the difficult yet fulfilling process of creation for an easy supply of cheap dopamine, and the world is worse off as a result.

Creation doesn’t have to be what springs to mind in the traditional sense of writing, drawing or playing a musical instrument either. It could be the more practical tasks of cooking a meal from scratch or putting up those shelves you bought from IKEA months ago that are still in boxes in the spare room.

It could also be creating new connections when you’re out and about, maybe that’s starting a conversation with a stranger on the bus instead of just being glued to your phone.

Why Is Creating Important?

You Are Truly Present & Focused

When you are creating something, you become present and locked in. People often refer to this as a ‘state of flow’, which makes you so energised and enthused that you can lose track of time.

On the contrary, when consuming, you are less likely to be as focused. How many times have you been watching a drama on TV, only to have to rewind to the beginning of a scene as you’d gotten distracted by something on your phone?

Particularly in our increasingly connected world, it’s important to switch off from all the noise for a while. Creating allows us to get lost in something we’re passionate about and give it our full attention.

You Develop As a Person

Consuming might provide some pleasure in the moment, but its long-term impact on your life and how you develop as a person is likely to be negligible. Okay, so reading a book or watching YouTube videos on how to start an online business, for example, might be beneficial, but it’s only valuable if you put what you’ve learnt into practice.

When creating, it’s not just what you produce at the end that counts, but the person you become during the process. You hone and develop qualities like patience, persistence, and problem-solving. It is also likely to take you out of your comfort zone and lead to new opportunities.

It Showcases Your Own Authentic Self

There’s not always an abundance of opportunities to show off who you are to the world. In many situations throughout your day, you may feel like you are putting on a mask just to fit in with others.

In certain situations, it’s not always practical to show your creative side, especially at work. Put it this way, I don’t think your boss would be too happy if you sent them a few of the most recent poems you had written instead of that report they were waiting for.

So, this is why it’s important to grasp every opportunity you have to be creative. It’s a way of expressing your true self, and the more you work on creative tasks, the more this will fuel your fire.

How To Create More & Consume Less

Make A Start Even When You Don’t Feel Like It

You may think this is counterintuitive and believe that being creative is something that just happens when you feel like it. This is a mistake. The best thing to do is start the task even if it feels hard to begin with, as Pablo Picasso once said: “Inspiration exists, but it must find us working”

Even if you say to yourself, “I’ll just write one paragraph” or “I’ll just put one shelf up tonight” there is a good chance you will get into the task at hand and do more than you anticipated. And, even if you just complete what you set out to do, it’s certainly better than nothing.

Turn Off Notifications

It always happens, you just get started on your creative task, and the next thing you know, a WhatsApp notification lights up the phone beside you. You pick the phone up, and soon half an hour has gone by, and you’re now on YouTube watching Mr Beast recreate Squid Game.

Eliminating this distraction by turning off your notifications and preferably not having your phone near you at all when trying to be creative is the best way forward, after all, out of sight, out of mind.  

Avoid Passive Consumption

There’s a big difference between being completely engrossed in your favourite programme and aimlessly flicking through the TV channels, just on the off chance you’ll find something worth watching. This is also true of online shopping when you’re not looking for anything specific but still find yourself browsing aimlessly. And how can I not mention doom scrolling on social media, which is, of course, the most well-known example of passive consumption.

When you find yourself passively consuming things, it’s important to ask yourself; Is this adding any value to my life? If not, then it’s best to switch off. There’s no point in wasting time on things that never really interested you that much in the first place.

Final Thoughts

I must make the point that I don’t think consuming is bad per se, and it can certainly add value to your life when done mindfully. Scheduling time to watch your favourite podcast on YouTube or a series you are completely gripped by on Netflix, for example, is perfectly fine, but just consuming for the sake of it is a guaranteed way of draining your energy.  

Creation provides fulfilment, connection and a sense of accomplishment. It offers you the chance to make your own mark on the world. It gives our lives purpose and meaning. I definitely think the planet would be a better place if we all created more and consumed less.