Daily Habits of Creative People: Advice & Insight from Actual Sizers

From the minds of Eric Yeamans , Clare Connell , Cecily Milligan , and Anthony Gatti .

“I’ll take photos of anything I see out in the world that either inspires or disgusts me design-wise.” - Clare Connell, Designer. 

Creativity comes in all shapes and sizes. It’s not limited by role, department, or project. It’s a feeling, a skill that needs room to grow and evolve. 

At this moment, it’s something you Googled. 

We gathered a few of our path-defining pros to gain insight on what sparks their creativity, how they overcome blocks, and what daily habits contribute to their success. 

So, let’s take it from the top.

What does your morning routine look like? Is there anything that helps kickstart your creativity? 

Your morning sets the tone for your entire day. The power of a productive AM routine is unmatched - you’ve seen the TikToks. Eric Yeamans, Director of Digital Operations, starts his day with man’s best friend. “My morning routine is fairly consistent and usually starts with walking the dog.”  Clare also kicks things off with a little quality time: homemade lattes, breakfast with her partner, and a phone call to her mom. 

While Anthony Gatti, Operations and Development Intern, continues his reign over the New York Times’ Connections (he’s never missed a day), Cecily, Digital + Content Manager, breaks a sweat. “You really can’t beat a runner’s high.” 

While there’s no conclusive evidence that “morning people” are more creative, studies have historically backed the impact of a routine. Ben Franklin was known for taking “air baths”, Beethoven personally counted the 60 coffee beans needed for his morning cup of jo’, and Proust enjoyed opium and croissants. 

If nudity, large amounts of caffeine, and drug-infused French pastries aren’t your thing, you’re in good company. We’re more into bagels, anyway. 

How do you balance structured work time with periods of unstructured creativity? 

As an agency, creativity is our lifeblood - but processes and planning play a huge role too. 

"I find my downtown to be valuable and necessary. It's important to be able to turn your brain off from time to time."

“I find my downtime to be valuable and necessary,” says Eric. “It’s important to be able to turn your brain off from time to time.” Studies back this. Your brain is a muscle, and just like those biceps, off days are critical. Finding time to embrace boredom may seem counterintuitive, but with rates of burnout on the rise, it’s become a crucial part of the creative process. “Unstructured time is essential for me because I can never sleep while I’m still thinking about work,” says Anthony. 

Cecily appreciates the industry she’s in. “Social media really lends itself to this. I’ve gotten very adept at moving between analytics and creative inspiration.” The second half of the social media duo has a similar mindset. “Even though it’s still work, the stuff I’ve been doing for our socials feels more like unstructured creativity,” says Clare. “Whenever I feel myself getting burnt out by a project, I like to switch over to the socials to play with design.” #DreamTeam

How do you stay inspired outside of the office? 

This group looks at a wide range of sources, citing long bike rides, conversations with friends, books, movies, and, of course, Pinterest. 

Clare thanks her partner for his continued support. Every day, he puts the toothpaste on her toothbrush, saving her time, energy, and brainpower. 

Just kidding - that was Sigmund Freud. 

In the office, we look at each other. Eric gives a special shout-out to his team of dedicated Developers, Alexander Grattan , and Kevin Stewart-Mercurio . While most creative accolades are awarded to designers, Eric’s team brings their vision to life. “Figuring out technically how to execute those designs is a whole different form of creative thinking and user experience. Those two have an eye and mind for thinking ahead, solving problems, and building on what the design team passes on to us.” 

Clare shares this sentiment for another Actual Sizer, touting her work in developing strategic content. “Cecily's ability to create content, come up with fun new ideas, and phrase things in concise ways is amazing.” Cecily returns the love. “I get to work with Clare pretty closely and I’m always so excited to see what she creates. I feel so lucky to have her as my deskmate.” 

Anthony gives our Creative Director, Joe Shumbat , some love. “Everything he designs is out of the world. It’s so cool to watch everything come to life.” 

But even with the best team behind you, roadblocks happen.   

How do you overcome a creative block? Any tips?

• “For me it’s usually a mix of research and collaboration. I’m sure everyone’s heard the quote, ‘there’s no such thing as an original idea’, which is true, to some extent. Finding how other people have solved similar problems is usually a good starting point for the creative blocks that I encounter. I’m also lucky to work in a small creative team that seemingly has no limit of opinions or ideas.” - Eric 
• “I try to completely take my mind off whatever it is that I’m working on and get engaged with something else, even if it is unproductive. Usually, when I am stuck, it is because I have been working on the same thing for too long. Most times when I come back with fresh eyes, I can overcome what was blocking me before.” - Anthony 
• “I keep pushing. I’ll keep looking for inspiration and build a mood board and keep putting together rough versions of ideas until eventually something is inspiring enough to move forward with.” - Clare 
• “I take a step back, switch tasks, and put on a good playlist. Going on a long walk can help. I have a list of quotes from books and songs in my notes app that I open pretty frequently, too.” - Cecily 

And if you don’t want advice from us… 

Listen to the artists, authors, musicians, and athletes we turn to in times of need. 

• Artists: Damien Hirst, Banksy 
• Athletes: Kobe Bryant, Tara Davis-Woodhall, Ilona Maher 
• Authors: Taylor Jenkins Reid, Tia Williams, Yulin Kuang, Ashley Poston
• Designers: Annie Atkins 
• Filmmakers: Wes Anderson 
• Musicians: Drake, Taylor Swift, Noah Kahan, Hozier, Fleetwood Mac 

At the end of the day, it’s different strokes for different folks - or, more aptly, different types for different types. Finding a routine that works for you, giving your ideas time to evolve, and looking to the people who inspire you help ignite creativity. 

Get more perspective from our team by following @actualsizers on Facebook, Insatgram, and X.