What your creativity is trying to tell you

When you’re distracted from a task or chase bright shiny things, do you reprimand yourself and wish you had more discipline? 

At times we do need this focus and attention. 

But how about following the distraction… ok, not right then, but later? 

This distraction could be your creativity trying to alert you to your clever thinking and ideas. 

Here’s what to do: 

Make a ‘side note’ — a note in the moment of the distraction from the main task path you’re on. Jot it in an app or notepad — and return to your original task. 

Then later … allow time, space, a moment to explore, wonder and be curious about your notes about the distractions. Let yourself follow them up, deliberately chase the brightness and see where it takes you. 

You may think ‘I’ll never get anything done’ or ‘I never have time later’. 

But these thought associations we may see as distractions are often examples of curiosity and creativity trying to pop up throughout our day. 

Instead of squashing, hitting or ignoring them — or being angry at yourself because you can’t stay on task — invite the distraction or thought for long enough to capture it in a side note. 

It’s a note you can follow up, chase down or wonder about later. Or not at all. 

Creative and ingenious thought is there; give it somewhere to land when it rises rather than labeling it a distraction or bad. 

It’s actually very good, creative good. 

What does it sound like

Awkward silence. 
Deserted office. 
Difficult to focus. 

Each of these quiet situations can potentially benefit from the beauty that is music. And so can we. 

No, not just the radio or those poppy head banging louder tunes. 

Think more like ambient music … it’s music you may not recognize and barely notice. 

But it’s there. And it’s been shown to help with distraction and focus management, productivity, creativity … and community. 

Could your space do with some music? Might your headspace benefit? Do you know the impacts it could have on you? 

I’m writing this post listening to an Apple music station, ‘Spa’. It’s like I’m waiting for the massage therapist to come in for my relaxation massage. 😃 It’s a great way to start the day. 

During the workday when I need to focus, I’ll play the ‘Chill’ station. 

I write more about the benefits of music, white noise and ambient noise in my book ‘Argh! Too much information, not enough brain’. It’s a practical guide to outsmarting overwhelm.

And this great article talks about how music might help us work better in this new and changing hybrid world. 

I think I’d edit the title to say ‘your LIFE probably needs more ambient music’. 

Press ‘play’ more often. 

Do this simple thing to make your brain work better

For all the hours we’re intensely focusing, working, pushing for deadlines and trying to be productive, there are times when we need something … softer. 

How about this : do you like the idea of ‘soft fascination’?

It sounds a little dreamy, a little curious, and as it turns out, highly recharging and refreshing. 

Overworking our attention wears it out. There isn’t a never ending supply. We have to recharge. Frequently. 

Some of the research suggests that we have about 4 hours of sustained effort in us before we need a recharge. 

So when you do recharge, try some ‘soft fascination’. It’s where we let our eyes relax, drift and go here and there. 

It’s different to sustained focus. And different to white wall boredom. 

Nature is the best place for us to enjoy in this activity of soft fascination. 

You don’t even have to go into nature for it to work. Looking out the window at nature will do. 

I love getting into nature whenever I can for this exact purpose. Walks. Beaches. Sunsets. Trees. Flowers. Weather. 

It’s all a vital part of helping make our brains work better.

Read more about it in this article in Inc. Magazine by Jessica Stillman.

What to do when you dread the week ahead

Mondayitis is when it hits but many of us feel the dread of the working week before that, while we’re still in the weekend!

An article labels the ‘Sunday Scaries’ that feeling when you’re already overwhelmed by what’s ahead and you haven’t even started the working week yet!

Do you dread? 

I’ve had job roles, commitments, projects and colleagues that absolutely made me feel dread-full about Mondays … and I’d feel the dread approaching on Sundays. 

More recently, I’ve aimed to set up Mondays as a day of ease. I try to protect the day with some breaks, space, a gradual start to the week, not a slap in the face with the hardest task, toughest meeting or most annoying people. 

I think that ‘start with the hardest task first’ advice is dated productivity BS that sets off overwhelm in a second!

This article suggests 5 things we can do on Sundays to make them less scary. 

If it’s not work time yet, outsmarting the overwhelm of dread makes the weekend more enjoyable and doesn’t make us work hard ahead of time. 

Read the article here 

5 Tips for Better Thinking

Here they are … because better thinking leads to better decisions and results and outcomes. 

1. Think about thinking
2. Be aware of loops
3. Add to your mental model toolbox 
4. Make diversity the rule not the exception 
5. Remember emotional agility (and Susan David, Ph.D. book ‘Emotional Agility’ is a beauty!)


Read more about each of these five tips in this Entrepreneur Media article by Aytekin Tank from JotForm