Creativity Hack: set time limits

Procrastination is the enemy of creative projects. 

When planning a creative work, setting time limits with your children / students helps get something onto the page. You and your child can expand upon it later to make it even better! 

Here are words you’ll constantly hear during our creative writing workshops.

‘Draw a picture of your main character/setting/objects that your character will take on their adventure. You have 2 / 5 / 10 mins. Go!’

As our creative facilitator Laura explains: 

‘Setting time limits has nothing to do with how quickly students need to do the task. It is just a way to create some boundaries for children to work within. It is a way to get any and all of their ideas down on paper. Most students go with the flow and enjoy the excitement that time limits inject into the creative task.

Sometimes, though, it can cause a bit of anxiety for students. As a recovering perfectionist, I know the feeling well. In such instances, I just explain the reason behind the time limit. I tell them the goal is to think, and write (or draw) some things down so that their ideas could go down on the page instead of staying in their heads - because no-one will ever see ideas that are stuck in your head! If the time limit is not helping them, they can ignore it.

That usually does the trick.’ 

So wherever possible, set time limits on creative projects. It helps children stay focussed and excited, and places the emphasis on getting the idea onto the page, rather than getting it perfect.

Try it next time and share your experiences with us on social media by using the hashtag #100SBCreativeHacks.

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If you are a teacher, do view our ACARA-aligned online creative literacy workshops for Australian students.