Yesterday, I was cleaning the refrigerator and my mind was going a million miles a minute. I kept thinking of things I
needed to do, things I wanted to write, I even took a few minutes to jot down some potential blog post titles so I wouldn’t forget. I tend to think the best when I am either walking or when I am doing simple tasks that require little concentration.
Cleaning the fridge was one of those things. I didn’t have to think hard, I just had to keep moving, scrubbing, tossing, and reorganizing. I’m not sure that I am really that much more creative but it seems like if I stop trying so hard, I get better results. I know I’m very tough on myself. I set unreasonable conditions for projects, even as simple as blogging. I have to have other projects out of the way, I have to have the right moment, I can’t be tired or hungry or a thousand other things.
I also have to see results. It was fun with the fridge because I knew that I could see results immediately. It didn’t hurt that my son, Dan, went out of his way to find me and say, “Mom, the fridge looks awesome.” I didn’t think they noticed but obviously they do. I love results. I love success. A fridge cleaning episode might be a funny place to think but I bet you might find that results change when you stop trying so hard.
Do you need a specific atmosphere before you can think beyond your present moment? Share your place to do your best thinking.
I do my best thinking
- in the shower
- doing the dishes
- right after waking up
I think it’s really this letting-your-neurons-dangle that helps with the creativity.
I think you’re right, Rosie. I think when I work too hard on a project (s), I can’t see the forest for the trees so to speak. I need to walk away. If I am looking for new ideas, they rarely come when I am sitting at my desk.
But you are also so right about right after waking up. It is my favorite time of the day and if I would let myself write or create during that time, I would get much further. Putting off creative projects until I get busywork done always results in me being too tired. Thanks for commenting!