The morning is when I feel most creative. Prior to this week, I had been struggling with wanting to write (for a book, an article, etc.) but didn't feel the creative juices flowing. On the computer is where there are many of my notes, links, documents, and outlines, yet during the first few hours of the morning sitting down and typing felt less creative. Also, the computer and phone is an environment, if you will, that I can go to for many tasks - a word document, OneNote, social media, email, Netflix, Spotify, reading an article, Face Time.
Having a technology that is used for various tasks can take up a lot of mental space, even unconsciously. Similar to how a bedroom is associated with a place for rest, our mind associates a computer with the activities that it is used for. So, having all these applications and activities that are regularly performed on the computer can take up mental space and hinder concentration. For example, if I am trying to write an essay (or do something that requires full focus) on the computer, chrome or safari are just a click away making it easy to get distracted by other websites. In my case, I was not opening up any other applications, but being on the computer made it possible to even consider it.
Solution
In the book, The Book You Were Born To Write by Kelly Notaras, Kelly shares examples of how other authors would prepare and write their manuscript. Best selling author, Dr. Wayne Dyer's book writing process (as described in the picture below) was to write the full manuscript by hand and to have a book cover prior to writing the book.
I am quite the sucker for journals and, at the time of reading the book, I had a fancy ole journal from BestSelf.co so I designed a cover for a book I am writing, printed it, glued it to the front, and wrote in the journal as if it were a book, including the copyright date page, praise for the book, acknowledgments, contents, foreword, and introduction. Creative, I know. Over the top, we'll see.
Rather than typing on the computer, I can grab the notebook, flip to the contents and/or choose a topic aligned with the goal, and start writing. In addition to writing, I have discovered that simply writing what wants to come out allows creativity to flow freely. This free-form approach has encouraged a more flexible, intimate, fun, and playful time writing and has produced more organic results as opposed to writing on a specific topic chosen ahead of time - there's a time and place for both approaches.
To Add More Creativity
Grab a journal and write or sketch. This way the journal is used for one activity making it easy to focus on one task. Also, writing with a pen or pencil makes the writing process feel more tangible, creative, undistracted, and fun!