Inspiration for charities this January

It can be tough to stay inspired at the beginning of the year. Dark mornings and half-empty boxes of Quality Street don’t tend to put a spring in your step.

 

Deliberately finding ways to boost your focus and creativity are a good move. When you find that new inspiration, it can give you a fresh perspective on your work, kick-start your motivation, and unleash more energy.

 

So how can you keep inspired and creative at the start of a new year?

 

 

Reconnect with your charity’s mission

 

If you’ve been in your role for a while, it can be hard to get motivated at the start of a new year. In the charity sector we’re lucky. We have clear and purposeful missions – whether that be raising funds to cure cancer or protecting our local wildlife.

 

Going back to basics can help you to refocus and remember why you do what you do. That might be a personal connection you have for your charity’s cause or thinking about when you started your role and what drew you to it initially.

 

Spend time watching case study videos or reading about your service users’ experiences and what they’ve gained from your charity. Better still, meet some of them or speak to your colleagues who run projects at the frontline. Reminding yourself of the difference your organisation makes in the world can help you stay motivated and focused.

 

 

Review the previous year and set goals

 

Looking back over the past year can help you to figure out what you want more of and what you want to avoid. And recognising what you achieved can also help to bolster your motivation.

 

For example, you may have run a successful event that you’re keen to expand on in 2022, or implemented a new donations platform that you want to build on. Think about what you found personally satisfying – that could be supporting or mentoring another member of your team.

 

Use those findings to put together a wish list for the year ahead.

 

 

Make small changes

 

If looking at the calendar for the year ahead gives you a sense of déjà vu, you might want to change things up. And that doesn’t necessarily mean looking for a new job. Small day-to-day changes can make a big difference – especially if you’re starting the year working from home. If you go for a walk, take a different route.

 

If you always drink from the same mug, choose another. If you always listen to the same radio station, switch to one you’ve never heard before. There’s even thinking that says by shifting your daily habits, you’re actually rewiring your brain by opening up new neural connections.  

 

 

Look beyond your own four walls

 

Inspiration doesn’t have to come from within the charity sector. Looking at your profession more widely can spark new ideas and ways of looking at your work. For example, if you’re in communications, you could try looking at D&AD winners or The Drum Awards, or sign up to networking platforms like The Dots to get inspired from creative folios.

 

 

Make some time and space – and play

 

It’s rare to come up with great creative ideas when your stuck in front of a screen. When you’re focusing on a specific problem, or want to get a sense of the bigger picture, it can be helpful to get away from your desk. Take a walk round the block, stick some music on, play Frisbee with your dog. Sometimes taking the focus off a problem, gives your subconscious a chance to shine.

 

As adults, it’s easy to forget how to play. But it can help us to think more creatively and flexibly, and be more prepared to come up with daft ideas that might just work. So make time for a doodle or a crossword. Michael Rosen’s Book of Play! has 101 ideas to get you started.

 

 

Carve out some time to get curious

 

Curiosity and creativity go hand in hand. Spending only five minutes a day purposefully nosing around others’ websites can fuel your creativity. You could:

• Choose five charities at random to follow on social. You never know what might inspire a new event, or a way of connecting with your audience
• Explore The Charity Awards or Third Sector Awards winners from recent years. Looking through the finalists can spark some inspiration and give you a sense of what other organisations are doing
• Sign up for some charity podcasts, like Do More Good or Charity Chat
• Join a new networking group – either face-to-face or online. Many sprang up during the pandemic, so try a few and find a good fit. A quick chat with someone outside of your work and social circles could open your eyes to a new way of looking at a problem or initiate a new collaboration