Earlier we explored how to double your creativity with collaborative mind-mapping. So you have your mind map – now what? If you are new to mind-mapping the output from your activities may seem a bit chaotic. That’s great! It’s basically a dump of your creative ideas, which does not always follow a linear and logical path. But has humans we love to categorize and transform order from chaos. Here is an overview of how you can approach the next steps:
Continue reading...creativity
rituals: creative productivity on demand
An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.
~Mohandas Gandhi
How often do you sit at your computer with all intentions of being creatively productive but find that all you can do is stare at the screen? Your hands are placed on the keys ready for your next command, but….nothing. What would you say if I told you that productivity is just a well nurtured habit?
You see, we humans love routines. They calm us and bring order and predictability to an otherwise uncertain and chaotic world. From brushing your teeth, to daily writing practice, to your daily run, all of our routines start as new behaviors and slowly, with practice, become habits and then routines. What I have learned is that you can encourage those habits by creating the right environment – create a ritual.
behaviors on demand
When I was having trouble getting a good night sleep, I did some research and discovered that daily routines enhance sleep. As it turns out, our love of routines is physical as well as mental. It gets us into a rhythm so that our bodies know what to expect when these conditions are true. For example if you have a a warm cup of tea, read for 15 minutes, brush your teeth and then go to bed every night at the same time, you will naturally begin to get tired at the same time – your body craves and expects that experience.
Continue reading...from clutter to zen office
An uncluttered office is good. A functional office is better. An inspirational office is bliss.
~Linda DeLuca, The Existential Coach
In out damn clutter I shared how I approached reducing the unwanted clutter in my home office. Now it’s time to share with you what is actually left in the office and how I determined what I needed.
the requirements
The minimalist work area was only half of what I needed to be creative. What I realized was that I needed my work space to be more than just functional, I needed it to inspire me! So I started to identify specific requirements. What I came up with was a strange list of both physical and environmental requirements:
- bright both in color and light
- have open space for movement
- minimal physical items such as furniture and decor
- incorporate inspiring factors such as: music, words, aroma, movement, and art
the solutions
So how do each of these factors contribute to the inspired office while still keeping with the minimalist theme?
click through to the blog for the rest of the goodness
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