creativity, interrupted
I sit down with a cup of coffee in my favorite mug, start my carefully curated playlist, and look down at my (aspirational, overpriced, and lovely) planner where it simply says WRITE across the present block of time. I’m focused. Then a notification pops up on my screen, and I’m 3 places at once — thinking about how to respond to the text, remembering other tasks that need follow-up, and frustrated with myself for forgetting to mute notifications yet again.
Mary Oliver writes about creativity, time, and interruption in “Of Power and Time” in her collection, Upstream. External input, buzzing, and obligation are not the only challenges.
“[J]ust as often, if not more often, the interruption comes not from another but from the self itself, or some other self within the self, that whistles and pounds upon the door panels and tosses itself, splashing, into the pond of meditation. And what does it have to say? That you must phone the dentist, that you are out of mustard, that your uncle Stanley’s birthday is two weeks hence. You react, of course. Then you return to your work, only to find that the imps of idea have fled back into the mist.”
When I picture famous authors, I see them peaceful and alone in a secluded house with a well-tended garden, perhaps a quiet dog, but definitely not a mundane to-do list on a post-it note stuck to their charming roll-top desk. But realistically, people create (and create amazing things!) amidst to-do lists, relationships, neighbors’ leaf-blowers. Most creatives have had the experience of a “flow state” where ideas, inspiration, and output are flowing naturally. This is a form of mindfulness — fully present in the moment, participating wholeheartedly in the task at hand. Intentional mindfulness practices can also help reduce the impact and frequency of interruptions, particularly those that are internal.
Consider these practices as a way to better understand and connect with your unique process:
Before engaging in your craft, try a brief mindful body scan to check in and notice how you are feeling. Regular mindfulness practice can increase your awareness of any thoughts, feelings, and sensations that might be impacting you. Often we aren’t even aware of the ways our body might be sending signals to our brain — it took beginning a regular yoga practice for me to notice that my preference for sitting hunched up like a pretzel increased my anxiety. When we have physical tension, it can create a feedback loop with our brain, escalating anxiety and internal distraction. Tuning in to and addressing physical tension can soothe our minds. Even three deep breaths prior to starting your work can let your brain and body know that you are safe and well.
Learn to listen to (and befriend) your inner critic. Creatives tend to know their inner critic well and usually have put in work to banish the critic to the far recesses of their mind as often as possible, only to have them throw open the door at the least opportune times. See what happens if you tune in to your inner critic with curiosity. Ask it what it wants you to know, or try to consider what it might be trying to accomplish. Most likely it’s a part of yourself that is trying to protect you (maybe it’s the part of your brain that’s logged every critique you’ve received). Connecting with your inner critic can help you tune in to what’s going on, separate what’s helpful and what’s not, and soothe unhelpful thoughts so they do not escalate and derail your process. Sometimes when we take a look at what we are obsessing over with a gentle, curious lens, what feels like a huge problem softens and becomes manageable.
Investigate your process so you can better address any trouble spots. This week, pay attention to your process and take note of any patterns around distraction and interruption. It’s also important to notice what is happening when you are less distracted and more engaged within your process, as that provides clues on what works for you. Taking actual written notes can be helpful as things that might not seem like a big deal on their own may take on a different meaning once you have the whole picture. Maybe your brain has difficulty getting into a flow state when you are only setting aside short chunks of time for creativity, so what feels like avoidance or procrastination is actually information on what time and structure is optimal for your projects. Perhaps you need to adjust your environment to reduce distraction or discomfort — we often put up with things because the impact seems minimal, but you might notice significant relief when you change that flickering lightbulb or get a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones for when the construction crew down the street decides to start up right when you had prepared to work.
Increased awareness and connection with the present moment can deeply impact creativity for the better. Try these strategies as an experiment and see what happens. And be kind to yourself. We often don’t know, or even consider, what works best for us until we actively turn our lens inward with intention.
