Every so often, I can’t stand to sit at my desk one minute longer. It’s no wonder. My rear is in that blue chair from four to 10 hours a day. I’m an active person, so it’s sometimes tough. I don’t care how ergonomic the chair is; my legs begin to twitch and my brain follows suit. My thoughts bounce all over the board, from project to project, and from e-mail to Facebook to actual documents I’m working on. I have to have a change of scenery.
Actually, changing your environment is one of the best ways to refresh your mind and begin to think differently about a project that is giving you some trouble. Not only can a different environment help you crush writer’s block, it can provide new sensory input that, when mixed with the needs of your writing projects, helps you come up with ideas you never would have produced in your usual writing place.
If you work in a corporate office, it might not be possible to change your location. My recommendation is to bring up the idea and try to get your boss on board. Explain that your brain needs the new stimulus to be creative, and promise to follow the rules, let him/her know when you are off-site, and not broadcast your “special” circumstances to other employees. At the very least, maybe you can get leave to write in the break room, company library or conference room every now and then.
If you do get permission to go off-site, choose an environment that honestly is not distracting. I can’t write in libraries, because I get too interested in people watching. I do great work at Panera or McDonald’s, two places that offer easy access to the Internet and sparse customers in the middle of the day. As a freelancer, I keep my phone close by, so I can keep in touch with my clients. You can do the same thing with your boss. Yay for cell phones!
What are your favorite places to work outside of the office? Leave a comment and share your idea with all of us! I need to know where all the public Wi-Fi connections are in Omaha and Lincoln, so I know what my options are!
