Key 3: Leverage the Power of Solitude
Key Points:
1. In order to fulfill our potential and be as creative as possible, we need to create the right space for it.
2. Whether alone, with a partner, or with your team, create a space that fosters creativity and tells your brain that it’s time avoid distractions, think deeply, and do your best work.
3. There are several strategies you could implement when designing your space: using standing or walking desks, changing the scenery, having a meditation room, ensuring exposure to natural light, and creating a creative space at home as well.
“I’ve got a theory: if you love your workspace, you’ll love your work a little more.”
Accessing the full extent of our ability to invent and innovate requires learning to trigger the creativity pathway of our minds, and often. One way to do this is to organize a space where you can be creative. Often, that is a place of solitude: a room of your own. Maybe you go there when you are writing. Maybe you go there with a partner when you are working on a report or project and need to hide out. Maybe you take your team there to be sequestered and explore possibilities (like the Beatles did in Abbey Road Studios). Whatever the case may be, take control of your space so that you can stimulate the right kind of mental activity.
Thomas Edison was famous for his prolific capacity to invent and innovate. One of his techniques was to have a dedicated space where he could do his thinking. It had a bedroom so he could nap, a small kitchen so he could make some food, and a zone for creative work. He also established a culture where everyone in the organization understood that disturbing him was fireable—this was “Do Not Disturb” to the extreme.
When I heard Steve Wozniak talk about deep creativity, I made a decision to dedicate a section of my home to Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park scenario. Edison dedicated a part of his work space to a place where he could go not to be disturbed and where he could be creative and ideate. My space is pretty simple. It’s a room with everything I need: art on the walls that I find beautiful and stimulating; a concert poster signed by two brilliant musicians I adore; an amazing piece of work by Jane Waterhouse right beside my desk; comfortable furniture; a computer; access to inspiring music; and a view of the park outside if I need to stare into the trees.
Whenever I need to go deep, this is where I go. The space pulses with creative energy for me. And the more I go in there, the more my mind learns that this is the place it can run. I get more and more creative. Then I take those ideas and head out into the world, places where I am surrounded by people and can engage in the types of productivity and creativity that happen in a group.
A Few Ideas to Help You Create Your Ideation Space
You might not be able to change the state of your building or access a room of your own, but you can make small changes to workspaces or rooms that will make a big difference. Here are five easy ways to improve your creative space:
Standing or walking desks: These are great if you are working on a project that doesn’t require you to be isolated. Plus, employees can use them for phone calls or emails.
Change of scenery: When possible and appropriate, try to get away from your desk. Hold walking meetings to energize your mind and get some fresh air. Even moving a meeting offsite to a local coffee shop can get the blood flowing in a way that sitting around in the usual place can’t.
Meditation rooms: Some progressive companies such as Deloitte and Google offer meditation rooms with comfortable chairs and background music. Employees can go in, close their eyes, and take a break in a very quiet place that fosters mindfulness. If no such space exists for you, create your own by putting on headphones, positioning your chair so it is facing away from the door, or finding a place in the building—maybe in a warehouse or meeting room—where you can go to disconnect.
Natural light: Lighting can play an important role in a workspace. Natural light is far better for people than fluorescent lighting. If you work in an office with fluorescent lighting, be sure to get exposed to natural full-spectrum light a few times each day (yet another reason to go for a quick recharge walk).
Create a home creative space: With more and more people working from home at least part of the time, it’s crucial to create an environment that inspires you to pursue your passions. If you are a person who frequently works remotely, create a “road warrior kit”: equip yourself with high-quality noise-cancelling headphones and a journal or other meditation medium—anything you need to be fully focused on your tasks.
Your environment needs to support what you are trying to accomplish—in this case, accessing a relaxed mental state via a space that supports creativity once it’s underway.
Today’s Call to Action: Create your Ideation Space!
Take a look at the ideas above and pick one to incorporate this week to improve your ideation space. What changes can you make to your work environment that will help you foster creativity and uplevel your performance? You can write down your ideas in the Do Less to Achieve More Notes section on page 28 of the Rest, Refocus, Recharge Workbook.
Today’s Bonus Video
Check out this video of an ergonomics expert explaining how to set up your desk to suit you.
The information and advice provided in this program is intended to assist you with improving your performance, as well as your general health. It is not intended and should not be used in place of advice from your own physician or for treatment or diagnosis of any specific health issue. By participating in this program you acknowledge that undertaking any new health, diet and/or exercise regime involves certain inherent risks, that you assume such risks, and that you release Wells Performance Inc. from any responsibility or claim relating to such participation.