An Actor in the Office: Tips to Making Your Day Job Creative

6 Similarities of Working in an Office and Working on a Cruise Ship

I used to do this:

Now I do this:

As creatives, we have a challenge before us: to live a life filled with joy, connection, and fearlessness, and share those traits with others via our chosen medium of expression. How do we do this? Even in a cubicle?

6 Similarities of Working in an Office and Working on a Cruise Ship

  1. Both jobs involve a performance for an audience. Aren’t all jobs about helping people do something?
  2. Both jobs can become tedious and boring… if we let them.
  3. Both jobs have a dress code. Granted, one is more ‘flashy’ than the other.
  4. Both jobs require skills that can be learned, honed, and perfected.
  5. Both jobs afford to opportunity to pack on the pounds. I’m speaking from experience here. Just sayin’.
  6. All jobs are creative. Really. No, I’m serious.

All jobs require time and effort. I’m a wee bit selfish with my time and the idea of ‘renting’ myself out 40 hours a week feels a bit like a modern form of prostitution… if I let that attitude creep in. We have to choose to see every thing through artist eyes.

Hmmmm. I just looked at those pics again. I really ought to smile more. Although in the “Top Hat Happy” pic, a smile may detract from the beauty of the purple sequins.

What are your tips to keeping your day job creative? How do you think like an artist while shuffling papers, answering calls, or replying to e-mails?

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Author: Andrew Zahn

I'm a son, husband, dad, business owner, actor and good sleeper/eater. On this blog, I pave a highway for creative growth by providing food, water, and shelter for those wishing to live, work, and play with creative zest.

6 thoughts on “An Actor in the Office: Tips to Making Your Day Job Creative”

  1. When I was in college I realized the impact of attitude. I was being grumpy for no reason and it kept getting worse. Then, in a new class I met a sweet little freshman girl and I was a jerk. I didn’t call her names or anything, I just was grouchy. I felt guilty all throughout class and decided to be nice. The decision worked and I enjoyed not being grumpy rather quickly.

    With work, if you keep thinking about hating it and it being miserable, it will only make the problem worse. Choosing to be positive makes it more fun, frees you up for creativity, and encourages other. The cycle repeats itself with them.

    1. Hey Evan! Man, good story to illustrate the importance of attitude. Some say ‘attitude isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” Possibly quite true.

  2. I have to have some creative project going on at work, even if it’s only in my mind. Being “admin” on a writer’s blog helps a lot, and keeps my mind busy enough to satisfy me and not let me give in to any boredom. I’ve also worked on my own writing projects on the side, which helps.

    1. Ah yes… a whole book could be written about the projects/creativity in our minds while we do the ordinary tasks. Gotta feed that creative side indeed.

  3. Someday you will look back at, what seemed like at the time, a twisting, turning journey through jobs and other parts of life, and you will see a joyous pattern as He taught you what He wanted you to know and to make you whom you are in the midst of becoming right now. You are already ahead of many people in seeing a bit of that pattern, but one of the joys of getting (much 🙂 further down the road is looking back and seeing even those things that didn’t make sense at the time, suddenly fit into the plan He has for you. ENJOY THE JOURNEY!!!

    1. Soaking it all up! I agree. I can already see how it’s all working into quite a story! I appreciate the comment and perspective very much. Thanks

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