2019 - 10 - 02 - Boosting Creativity By Optimizing Our Physical Space

Many types of creative work require a set physical space or specialized equipment. And the place we are has a much more profound impact on how we feel than we think. In their book “Designing Your Life” by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans they remind us just how different we feel in a football stadium than we do in a cathedral. In addition to the where of our physical space, there is also the what, and how it’s laid out. Chefs, for example, may need need to work in a kitchen and often set up their workspaces with almost ritualized precision. Knowing how you need your space to be the most efficient and effective is the first step Some of us are lucky and are able to work from coffee shops or paint “en Plein air” in that case it is a combination of finding the right workspace and ensuring we have what we need. Do you have a dedicated place to work, be that a studio, a coffee shop, or a corner of the laundry room? How easy is it for you to walk away from a work in progress and return to it without needing to pack up or change the use case? If you work “en Plein air” or coffee shop style are your supplies kept packed and ready to go? How is your bag or laptop? The underlying idea is that you will have a dedicated workspace with all of the tools and supplies that you need to do the work that needs doing.