How to Be Creative AND Productive!
Filed Under: Creativity, Did You Know?, How To, Productivity, Solving Problems, Writing
Randomness and Routine
Getting the Most Out of Life Using Routines
I am always searching for more structured and more efficient routines. This is because my natural tendency is for disorganization. And I find that the more structure I have in my life, the better I feel at the end of the day. This is because I know where I’m going and I can see what I’ve accomplished. And also it makes leisure time more relaxing because I know that I’ve accomplished my work and that I’ve earned my time off to play. When I don’t have structure, I’m still working hard, but I get a general sense of anxiety that I haven’t gotten enough work done or that I’ve missed something. So structure is important, but recently I learned something very cool about the power of breaking routines!
Randomness
Last week, my routine was disrupted a bit. I went with my mom to a doctor’s appointment, I helped with a spring cleaning, and my son’s school ended. All of these things forced me to do my writing work differently, in different places, and at different times. And by being in these new places, working at different times, and doing things that were outside of my normal routine, I discovered something wonderful! Randomness in your life brings about powerful bursts of creativity. It set my brain moving in a different way. It kind of wakes up your non-automatic brain, the creative problem-solving part.
Letting Your Creativity Bloom
Random events don’t automatically open up this creativity. I think the reason it did this time was that I decided to not get angry, uptight, resentful of these random interruptions that disturbed my routine. I consciously decided to go with the flow. And by having that easy going approach, then the creativity opened up! I discovered some new productivity solutions and I had a burst of ideas for my writing that will keep me busy for a while.
Balancing Routine and Randomness
So how can you have Routines and ensure that you get your needed dose of Randomness? Two ways. I think the most important is to be open and welcoming of those natural disruptions to your routine that occur. This doesn’t mean you should allow all disruptions, but when there is one that is unavoidable, go into it with this focus: “How can I learn from this? Have fun with this?” Or “how might I use this to further what I’m working on?” Or simply, “I am open to good things that may come of this detour.”
The second way to get your dose of Randomness is to schedule it. How? Simple. Just do something new at least once a week, whether that is walking a new way to work or eating at a different lunch shop or going somewhere new. Just pick something and do it. Then be aware how your mind is opened up. If you need to, schedule a weekly reminder that says “Do something new today!”
Please Share!
What was the most random thing that happened to you lately? How did it change you? Little or big, please share! We’d love to hear your story!
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HMG | Jun 8, 2007 | Reply
I find that getting last minute requests to go flying somewhere can be pretty random. A few months ago, I came into work and in the afternoon had my boss tell me that I needed to go home and pack and that I was flying to the West Coast that evening (from New York City). I then had to rush through a day’s work, pack and then get to the airport before the plane left. But once in my seat I felt that the sudden stop of interuptions and stress led to some creative thinking.
It gave me a chance to catch up on things that I hadn’t really had a chance to think about during a normal hectic work day.
Lodewijkvdb | Jun 8, 2007 | Reply
Good advice. Randomness and creativity are good. I use randomness quite a lot in my life, and I recognized your examples too.
Especially the one about finding a new way to work. I have had a period where I did this so extensively, that finding a different way everyday became a habit of its own! Ironically, the randomness then became doing the same route several times in a row
Dana | Jun 8, 2007 | Reply
Hopefully it will work for me…I have an article due on Monday and wasn’t able to get the primary interview scheduled until last week…for Sunday morning.
Woohoo! 1800 words to do in a day.
agentsully | Jun 9, 2007 | Reply
HMG - isn’t that great. I wish I got “forced” into more quiet time.
Lodewijkvdb - yes, that’s the rub. Randomness that becomes routine is no longer randomness.
Thank you both for your comments.
agentsully | Jun 12, 2007 | Reply
Dana - Sorry for the late response. You can do it! How’s it going?
Daniel | Jul 3, 2007 | Reply
Yeah - I think “random” was my missing keyword. Just discovered it. Thanks.
agentsully | Jul 5, 2007 | Reply
Daniel - Good luck! Check back with us to let us know how it’s going!