Creativity Doesn't Keep Office Hours

I often say that the state of my home reflects my mental state. It's only fitting then that as I'm getting my thoughts in order, I'm also working on getting my home clean and tidied. Picking up various toys and putting dirty dishes in an ever filling sink while trying to get my thoughts down AND making sure my five year old daughter gets the attention she deserves, I can't help but think of some of the so called productivity rules that I've heard so many times over. If these writing gurus and productivity coaches could see me now, they would surely shake their head at the chaos ensuing around me as I write this.

At the moment, the one circulating cynically through my head in a snide, petulant voice, "set aside time everyday dedicated to uninterrupted writing time." I'm sorry, uninterrupted time? What is that? I don't think I've done anything uninterrupted in the last five years. In fact when I tried to do just that, it created so much stress in my life that I got absolutely nothing done. For. Months. Productivity? Not so much.

I do try to write everyday, if only to get the clutter from my brain onto the page. Morning pages have become a life saver for me, but as far as productivity is concerned? I'm sorry, I just don't find it conducive to create at a scheduled time at a dedicated place like clocking into a nine to five job.

When I close my eyes and imagine writing my novel, I'm sitting on the side of a mountain, I'm on a ship in the open water, sitting on the back patio enjoying the sun while my daughter plays in the yard or sitting on the wharf enjoying the sunset with my dogs by my side. I am not sitting behind a desk in my stuffy basement office.

To me, creativity happens when we truly live. When we breathe fresh air and feel deep emotions that make tears spring from our eyes that is equal parts joy and ache. Creativity happens any time, anywhere that we are ready and willing to meet it which is why I carry a notebook with me so that I can write whenever the urge strikes (The Remarkable is great for that by the way, and no I don't get paid to say that. I just own three of them and don't know how I'd live my life without them).

Setting aside a time and place to write uninterrupted seems to follow the same vein as to write to a ritual. If we're supposed to ritualize writing then I am as irreverent as they come and happy to be there. Ritualizing writing makes it seem sacred which implies perfection. For me personally, this advice is crippling. Writing is not some god on a pedestal that everything needs to be perfect before publishing. I largely publish my blogs unedited as a reminder that nothing is perfect and it doesn't have to be in order to be good.

Writing is like a nonjudgemental friend. Here to be my guide when inspiration strikes. For when my thoughts are too heavy for me to carry alone. In fact, that's when my words carry the most weight. This whole post came on a day when I woke up thinking 'Why am I even trying. My house is a mess, I didn't get enough sleep, I need a day to rest.'

Writing was here for me. Writing got me through the day. It was the desperation that was the inspiration for this post. Writing is always what we need to be when we need it to be. I am creating a life around this concept. I highly recommend you give it a try.

If you have questions about how this is working or what you can do to make this a reality in your own life, shoot me an email. Diaryofanindieauthor25@gmail.com. We can discuss it.