Boxes

When we work in corporate environments, or any structured work place, it can be difficult to get started on projects that have no definition. No rules, no strategies. And no deadlines.
I was talking with a colleague at my day job, who said that her biggest obstacle in sitting down to do art work was that she liked to think out of the box. And needed a box to begin with. She longed for rules to break.
I told her how a friend of mine keeps a notebook with a list of creative project ideas. She refers to it every time she’s ready for a new endeavor and methodically checks them off. The list is always longer than her time allows, but gives her structure and a sense of accomplishment. It’s a creative to do list that’s never done, and always evolving.
Interestingly enough, I learned a quick technique in a water color class, that instantly gave the work a more professional look and feel. And that was, simply taping off a border, or box with masking tape to be removed after the painting was done.
Boxes do serve us well.
The question is: how can we create them for ourselves, without boxing ourselves in? Because unless the box makes it easier to get to our creative work, it’s of no use.
Borders and boxes can hem us in as much as they can inspire us to break out. We must know ourselves well enough to know what works for us.
So what works for you? Quick, write something down even if it makes no sense.