Optimizing your workspace, online and offline

One of the crucial factors of using your full creative potential, is having an optimized workspace, online as well as offline. Clutter on your desk can turn into clutter in your head, which will often times lead to getting stuck in the execution of a great idea or getting a writer’s block. Let’s explore some options for clearing your head, so getting to work on your art gets easier and your inspirational flow gets going no matter what.

What’s on your desk?
Let’s start with an easy question: what is on your desk? Are you working on your writings, photographs, or paintings with a bunch of grocery lists, coupons and old mail lying around? Get rid of things that do not inspire you in your work and will just make you think of the things you have to do in the future. Make sure that everything around you encourages you to work on your art and focus, don’t let things you can’t act on right now get in the way of your creative thought process.

Only allow inspiration and real people
I have a simple rule when it comes down to my email inbox: I only allow either real people, or inspiration. This blocks out newsletters from online stores, social media notifications, advertising from websites, and other automated messages that are being send out. When I receive a newsletter I didn’t ask for, I immediately opt-out from it to prevent procrastination and newsletters cluttering up my inbox daily. But because I also want to be notified about cool inspirational blogs and articles and I don’t want to get out there to search for it or browse an RSS reader on a recurring basis, I subscribe to inspirational and motivational email newsletters only, to make sure I don’t miss out and get an inspirational boost when starting off my day. Some websites that are allowed to email me are Mixergy, for new educational stuff on startups, and Etsy, because their newsletter is just fun to read. Think of websites that will inspire you, and exchange the Amazon newsletter for something useful. *cough* Work it weekly *cough*

Update your address book and stay in touch with important people in your life
Updating your address book can be a real pain, because sometimes there are just too many people on there; most of them you don’t even remember. If this is the case, then maybe it’s time to remove those contacts from your address book and make room for new people you meet. Removing names you don’t even recognize anymore can also help you glance over your list and remembering to catch up with people you care about. See if you can create your creative hive from the people you want to keep in your file, and tag them, if possible. This way you will have your support system ready whenever you need some feedback, or just a quick chat to catch up.