Creative Space with Jennifer Logue
My name is Jennifer Logue and I’m on a mission to make creativity accessible to all. Through conversations with artists, entrepreneurs, filmmakers, musicians, scientists, and so much more, we’ll be exploring creativity from every possible angle with the purpose of learning and growing in creativity together. New episodes are released every Sunday and you can listen anywhere you get your podcasts. Be sure to rate and review the podcast if you enjoy it, and remember, we are all born creative. Make some space to honor your creativity today.
Creative Space with Jennifer Logue
The Power of Play: How to Use Fun to Fuel Your Creativity
In this episode, I share a personal story about how a simple, playful act helped me overcome creative block, and I offer three practical strategies to incorporate more play into your daily life. We’ll explore the importance of scheduling playtime, embracing childlike wonder, and finding creative inspiration through playful collaboration with others. Plus, I’ll tell you how a spur-of-the-moment road trip to the shore and a fun gathering with fellow songwriters sparked new ideas for me.
Whether you’re spending the weekend relaxing or gearing up for the fall, this episode is packed with insights to help you keep the spirit of play alive and fuel your creativity all year long.
And if you enjoy this episode, please take a moment to leave a review—it helps others discover the podcast and join our creative community. Thanks for listening, and happy Labor Day!
SHOW NOTES—
0:00—Introduction
1:20—The Importance of Play in Creativity
3:10—Strategy #1
4:20—Strategy #2
6:00—Strategy #3
7:20—Final Thoughts and Weekend Challenge
Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of Creative Space, a podcast where we explore, learn and grow in creativity together. I'm your host, jennifer Logue, and today, just in time for Labor Day weekend, we are going to talk about the power of play, how to use fun to fuel your creativity. So Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer, right? So it's a final chance to soak up the sun, enjoy time with friends and family before we hit the ground running for the fall, when it's back to school, back to work and back to the grind for a lot of us. But what if we could take that spirit of playfulness that we tend to have in the summer months and carry it with us all year long? How could it help us lead more fulfilling long? How could it help us lead more fulfilling, creative lives? It's important to understand that play isn't just for kids or vacation days. It's a powerful, powerful tool that can unlock new ideas, shift our perspective and reignite our creative spark. So, as we all unwind this weekend, let's explore why play is so important for creativity and how you can incorporate it into your daily routine long after summer is over. First, let me share a quick story from my own life, a quick example. That really was a great reminder as to the power of play. A few months ago I was deep into a project that had me completely stressed out. I felt stuck. I had no new ideas, no inspiration. So that afternoon I just had to step away from the work and do something completely different. So I grabbed a Frisbee I had lying around, went outside and I started tossing it around with a friend. It was such a simple, playful act, but it made all the difference. And as we laughed mainly because I am really bad at throwing a frisbee, let's just be real here but I could feel my mind relaxing and suddenly the dots in my head started to connect and by the end of that impromptu Frisbee session I had the breakthrough idea that helped me move forward on the project, and that experience reminded me that play is a catalyst for our creativity. Play is a catalyst for our creativity. Now let's dive into how you can use play to fuel your creativity, not just in the summer, but every single day of the year. Now here are three simple strategies to get you started.
Jennifer Logue:Number one schedule playtime. Even as you enjoy the long weekend, think about how you can incorporate play into your regular routine. Just like you scheduled time for work or for exercise, set aside a few minutes each day to do something playful. It could be a quick game, a creative hobby or even a fun activity with friends and family. You know, for example, I recently started setting aside 15 minutes a day each morning to play the piano, not for practice or perfection, but just to play. And I'll play whatever comes to me. But sometimes it's lighthearted. Sometimes I write a whole song or parts of a song, but I just sit there and I have fun with it. I just let the possibilities unfold naturally. And it's just amazing how such a small amount of time dedicated to play for the sake of play and creating, how that can have a ripple effect on your creativity for the rest of the day.
Jennifer Logue:So, number two embrace childlike wonder. Now remember when you were a kid and the world was full of possibilities. Try to tap into that same sense of wonder in your adult life. And one way to do this is to explore something new, a new place, a new activity or even a new perspective. By stepping outside of your routine, you open yourself up to new experiences and ideas which can lead to creative breakthroughs. And I'll give you an example I drove to the shore for the day for the sole purpose of taking my friend's yoga class on the beach.
Jennifer Logue:She's an amazing teacher and I couldn't think of a better way to spend the last days of summer than by taking one of her classes. I could have done my usual yoga class at home, which is amazing, but sometimes you have to shake things up, and I had so many ideas come to me during that 24-hour getaway. And even the thrill of driving is something I have childlike wonder about. I didn't really drive until my 30s, so I spent a lot of my adult life being a pedestrian. I lived in big cities where you don't need a car. So now, having that freedom, simply hopping in my car and driving to the shore, I get downright giddy about that. Like anything feels possible on the open road, you're not limited by the transit map. But anyway, I digress this is how I embrace childlike wonder. I guess I can best describe it as treating everything like an adventure, or like you're seeing something for the first time, being alive to the present. So which brings me to number three Play with others.
Jennifer Logue:Creativity doesn't have to be a solo endeavor. In fact, playing with others can spark even more ideas. Whether it's collaborating on a creative project, engaging in group games or simply having a fun conversation with friends, just interacting with other people in a playful way can lead to unexpected inspiration. This weekend, you'll likely be spending time with friends and family, so why not use these gatherings as opportunities for playful collaboration? As an example, I had such a great time on Saturday at the Philly Songwriter Circle Summer Bash and it was a lovely group of songwriters from all over the Philly region gathered together just to perform for each other and support each other, and there was also amazing food. It was just a really fun time beautiful setting, lovely people and whoever made the turkey empanadas? They were a fire. They were so good, oh my God. So I hope you found some of these tips helpful.
Jennifer Logue:As you enjoy these last days of summer, remember that creativity isn't just about hard work and discipline. It's also about joy, exploration and yes, a little bit of playtime, whether it's through a game, a creative hobby or just some downtime with the people you love. Stop being so serious for a second and enjoy yourself. Put away the list of things to do. Put down your phone. Please put down the phone and just be present. Notice how it makes you feel and see if you can carry some of that playful present energy into the rest of 2024. Anyway, that's all I have for this episode of Creative Space. If you love the podcast, please show your support by leaving a review on your platform of choice. Thank you.