Journal Prompts To Help Build a Creative Practice
Building a creative practice can feel impossible, especially if you’re an ADHDer or struggle with consistency, time management, or other limitations. Whether you’re staring at a blank page or trying to motivate yourself to make time for your art, exploring your feelings around the task at hand can lend some clarity. As much as I resisted it at first, journaling was one of the things that really helped me develop a creative practice as someone who struggles with executive function and consistency.
Even if you’ve never journaled before (I highly encourage it!), these prompts can start the wheels turning and guide you along the path to a creative journey that supports you and your needs. I’ve broken them down into several categories, so feel free to jump around, use what you need, and leave what you don’t.
Journal Prompts for Understanding Your Creative Patterns
When do I feel most creative? What conditions help me get into a flow state?
What are my biggest obstacles to creating consistently?
How does my ADHD (or time struggles) show up in my creative process?
What patterns do I notice in my bursts of creativity vs. creative dry spells?
How do I feel before, during, and after making something?
What are my favorite types of creative projects, and why do they excite me?
What fears or perfectionist tendencies hold me back from creating freely?
How do I define success in my creative practice?
Journal Prompts for Building Sustainable Creative Routines
If I could design my ideal creative routine, what would it look like?
What’s one small way I could make creativity a more natural part of my daily life?
What creative activity could I do in just five minutes to stay consistent?
How can I make my creative space more inviting and ADHD-friendly?
What would it feel like to create without any pressure for an end result?
What’s my favorite way to start a creative session? How have I successfully done so in the past? What needs to happen to make this a routine or ritual I return to?
How can I reward myself for showing up to my creative practice, even in small ways?
What’s one low-effort creative activity I can turn to when I’m feeling drained?
Journal Prompts for Building Time Management & FoCus Strategies
What time of day do I have the most energy for creative work?
What about building creative time into my schedule feels overwhelming? What would make it feel easier?
What strategies have helped me focus in other areas of life that I can apply to my art?
How can I make it easier to return to unfinished projects without losing momentum? What’s stopping me from doing that now?
What are some of the things that distract me when trying to create? What can I do to minimize one of those today?
What’s one thing I can let go of (a task, expectation, or pressure) to make more space for creativity?
How does hyperfocus impact my creative work? How can I work with it instead of against it?
Journal Prompts for Overcoming Perfectionism & Creative Blocks
What’s the worst that could happen if I make “bad” art? What does “good” vs. “bad” art mean to me?
What’s a small act of self-compassion I can practice when I struggle with consistency?
What would my creative practice look like if I focused on fun rather than productivity?
If I weren’t worried about time, skill, or outcome, what would I create right now?
What does “done” look like for me? How can I embrace good enough instead of perfect?
How can I reframe my “failures” as part of my creative growth?
What would I say to a friend who is struggling with creativity? How can I say that to myself?
Happy journaling!
xox Kiah
