Is Your Consumption/Creation Ratio Out of Whack?

by Cynthia Morris
This article originally appeared on Fuel Your Writing. It’s such an important topic that surfaces again and again, so we’re sharing it here. 

These days, it seems that if you’re not consuming something – videos, podcasts, blog posts, books, magazines, films, social media streams – then you’re probably asleep.

There’s so much good stuff out there and many of us feel compelled to keep up at a dizzying rate. My clients and students confess that their biggest challenge is finding time to create. Everyone’s busy and overbooked.

But a closer look usually reveals that most of us are consuming a lot, and that much of that time that could be spent creating. If you’re trying to create and ship something, you may need to check your consumption/creation ratio.

I know you’re thinking Eek! I couldn’t give up my morning news reading! I am NOT letting go of my New Yorker subscription. I absolutely must start my day checking in with everyone on Facebook.

Don’t worry. I don’t advocate pulling the plug completely on what you’re consuming. Instead, if you’re truly committed to bringing your own ideas to the world, consider fine-tuning your consumption/creation ratio.

What you consume directly impacts your creativity 

Before we go in with a weed whacker to eliminate items in our inbox, take a moment to clarify what you’re getting from your media intake.

There are many reasons we consume – to learn, to escape, to be moved, to be updated on progress in our industry and let’s face it – to procrastinate.

I’m not judging what or why you consume. Everyone has the right to enjoy whatever they want. I am pointing you to an awareness of what you consume and the impact that has on you.  

Why is it so important to be vigilant with our consumables? Our time is precious and limited. The abundance of consumables can add to stress. Our creative work is directly affected by what we consume.

We must guard our precious creating time or life will slip by and all we have to show for it is that we scanned a lot of articles and watched a lot of YouTube videos.

Just like food or beverages we take in, what we read, watch or listen to has an effect on our mental, emotional and physical states. And our mental, emotional and physical states are critical to our ability to think, feel and create.

Check your consumption

Take a minute now to take this consumption/creation assessment. This will take about ten minutes.

Make a quick list of things you consume on a regular basis. Categories could include:

• Blogs
• Newsletters
• Newscasts, either print or digital
• Magazines
• Books
• Podcasts
• Videos
• Music

Next to each item on the list, jot a rough estimate of how much time per week you spend with each item.

Next, ask yourself this question for each:

1. How does this specifically further my current professional goals or enrich me personally now?
2. How much time a week do I spend creating?

Put the consuming number next to the creating number. This is your consumption/creation ratio.

1. What do you notice?
2. What would you change to feel more satisfied with your ratio?

Bring balance back

The tendency when doing this may be to let our inner critic dominate the process. The part of us that likes to judge us and make whatever we’re doing wrong loves assessments that show us how much better we could be.

Send that part of you out to mow the lawn. This isn’t about haranguing yourself about what you read or listen to. It’s about noticing how your consumption impacts your creativity.

Once you’ve done this exercise, you’ll know what’s really fueling you and your creative goals. You’ll be able to enjoy what you enjoy even more, and turn the dial down on things that aren’t contributing to your goals.

In this dynamically crowded world of information, the real game for all of us is to manage our consumption. Our ability to deal with and process information is vital to our success. Be aware of how your consumption impacts your creativity and adjust accordingly.

What did you learn about your consumption/creation ratio? What changes might you make this week to swing the emphasis from consuming to creating? Share your thoughts in a comment below. And thanks for consuming this article!