Travel can be a great way to spark to your Muse. If you’re like me, stepping away from a familiar routine, enjoying new sights, and meeting new people all stimulate new perspectives. On a recent trip to visit my family, I was flooded with insights about my life and work.

You don’t have to wait until you’re home to capture inspiration. I spent a year traveling with my Muse, and I found her to be a great travel companion. I came home with notebooks full of drawings, paintings, and notes plus inspiration for future projects.

But how do you make time to make art while traveling? All that sightseeing and visiting – who has time to be absorbed in a piece of art? It’s not as difficult as you think, and making art while traveling can enhance your travel enormously. Here are my top ten tips for making it easy to bring your Muse along.

1. Don’t bring too many art supplies. This is the bane of many artists – we love our supplies. Like any packing, we often practice ‘contingency planning’ – tossing in items we ‘might’ need. Keep it simple. My travel motto became, “The less stuff you have, the happier you are.”

2. Make space for art – don’t be rushing around all the time. Even if you’re not making art, leave space for relaxing and for spontaneity. It’s the spaces between things that allow for insight and inspiration. See ideas for making time for art on the Journey Juju blog.

3. Carry one small journal with you everywhere. Be ready to do a quick sketch or write down a recipe that you will want to try at home.

4. Use your camera only 50% of the time. Unless your art is photography, the camera can get in the way of you and your Muse having a direct experience with the world. Step away from the lens and practice seeing with your eyes instead.

5. If you’re bringing your mp3 player, make a mix of your favorite songs. This will come in handy if you ever feel ungrounded or overwhelmed. Have a dance party for one in your hotel room after a long day and see how the music brings you back to yourself and refreshes you.

6. Take extra good care of your body. This may not seem like an obvious way to be more creative while traveling, but if you don’t feel well, your Muse won’t either. I find travel to be an endurance sport, so do your best to be physically fit before you go. Stretch in the morning, drink plenty of water, and don’t go overboard with indulgent food. (I know that’s a tough one, especially in places like Italy!)

7. Make a list in your journal of inspiration – things you will do when you return home. As mentioned, I get tons of ideas and insights when traveling. One of my creative travel tools is Flashes of Inspiration. Make a separate page in your journal to note things you want to try when you get home.

8. When you leave a museum or a sight you’ve taken in, pause and give yourself at least 15 minutes to reflect on what you learned. Often we rush from one thing to the next and all the wonderful things you took in begin to blur together. I like to sit in museum cafes and journal after I’ve seen the art. My Muse loves that I give her time to integrate what I’ve seen.

9. Brave getting lost. Being lost brings in a spontaneity you might not otherwise have in a busy travel schedule.

10. What’s your favorite creative Travel tip? Leave a comment on the Journey Juju blog and share your best Muse practices with other creative travelers.

I’m planning my creativity excursions for 2010. Possible locations include Amsterdam, Paris, Istanbul, Lisbon and Rome. Start saving now to bring your Muse this time next year to Europe!

Take your Muse along with the help of my Creative Travel Toolkit. This and my other products (Journey Blessings!) are on sale during the month of June at my online store.

Feel free to use this article on your website, blog or in your newsletter, and when you do, be sure to include this complete credit line:  Copyright 2009 Cynthia Morris. Cynthia coaches creative people to confidence and completion and inspires life as a creative adventure. Visit http://www.originalimpulse.com to get an infusion of inspiration for your art, writing and life.