Episode 56: Creative Rituals

Creative Work Hour Podcast

Release Date: June 22, 2025

Today’s Crew:

Alessandra, Greg, Devin, Gretchen, Michael J, Shadows Pub, Bobby B

In this lively episode, the Creative Work Hour team dives into the world of creative rituals—those small (or sometimes eccentric) habits and routines that help us get started, get unstuck, and sustain our creative work. From bubble baths with rubber duckies to counting out coffee beans, the crew shares stories, laughs, and insights about what gets them in the creative zone—and what sometimes holds them back.

On Rituals Big and Small:

“All we have to do is step into the warm bath of what’s already happening. All we have to do is join the metronome that’s already going.”
Her Ritual: Taking a bubble bath in the dark before leading Creative Work Hour, asking herself what her creative friends might need.
Key Insight: Rituals can be simple acts that ground us in community and help us listen more closely—to ourselves and others.

On Finding Your Rhythm:

“If we’re going to go down the river, we don’t stop the river, we kind of jump in with the flow.”
His Ritual: Reminiscing about marching band days and using the mental beat of a bass drum or marching song to set his own pace.
Key Insight: A routine or rhythm—like a marching beat—can help you jump into creative flow rather than waiting for perfection.

On Preparation (and Over-preparation):

“Everything has to be just so... all my little talismans, my journals, everything has to be in its place. And then when everything is just perfect, then I start to try and create.”
Reflection: Sometimes rituals help; sometimes they become excuses not to start. He also notes the value of “cold practice”—just starting without all the warm-ups.
Key Insight: Rituals can support creativity but can also become barriers if we let perfectionism take over.

On Rituals vs. Blocks:

“Sometimes a creative ritual is really a creative block in disguise… What would really happen if we actually stepped in and tried to do it if things weren’t perfect?”
Her Ritual: Emptying her garbage can before going live.
Key Insight: It’s important to notice when rituals serve you—and when they’re just your inner saboteur in disguise. She calls on her “creative angel” for support instead.

On Quirky Timing:

“There’s something about the off-kilterness of starting at 5:12pm or 12:12pm—it’s like having that radio on-air light blinking at you, saying ‘go now’.”
His Ritual: Starting live streams at unusual times as a nod to his mother and as a way to create a sense of occasion.
Key Insight: Setting a specific (even odd) time helps create accountability and urgency—sometimes you just have to start, ready or not.

On Unusual Rituals (from research):

“Twyla Tharp starts her day by taking a cab to the gym—because for her, hailing the cab is commitment to the day. And Beethoven counted exactly 60 coffee beans per cup.”
Reflection: Even famous creatives have rituals—some unique, some downright quirky.
Key Insight: Commitment can look different for everyone. Sometimes even the smallest act signals it’s time to begin.

On Warming Up:

“For me, I typically write and create first thing in the morning… I’ll open up some games online and play them and let that kind of get things going. Sometimes 30 seconds in, it’s like, I’m ready.”
His Ritual: A quick online game gets his creative engine running.
Key Insight: Find a gentle way to “turn over the engine” each day—see what gets your mind humming.

The conversation reminds us that creative rituals are as individual as we are. They can be comforting habits, playful superstitions, or even obstacles we invent. The key is to notice what serves us and what holds us back—and not to wait for conditions to be perfect before jumping into our work.

What about you? Do you have a creative ritual? Share yours at creativeworkhour.com and join us next week for more inspiration!

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