A mind not yet affected by experiences, impressions etc.
Anything existing undisturbed in its original pure state
An opportunity for a fresh start; clean slate
Are you getting the picture? Or better yet can you see the blank canvas? If you aren’t or you can’t, odds are you need to do some de-cluttering of your physical (and maybe mental) space.
Productivity and efficiency are just as important as creativity. Whether you’re an artist, an entrepreneur or a full time parent all these areas need your attention. De-cluttering your environment can provide clarity and focus you may not have even realized you lacked.
Many of you may think that because you can work in a cluttered environment then everything must be ok, right? Wrong. It is so important for regular purging and de-cluttering of your space, if only to fully realize its potential once again. You can tell yourself that although there is clutter and chaos around you that you can always find what you’re looking for, regardless if you can or not it will take more time and could potentially be more frustrating.
Having a routine to completely empty your space and most importantly purge those items you haven’t used since the last “cleaning of your slate” is critical to success. Then take a moment and enjoy the blank canvas, see the potential for it and for you. If you can, leave it that way for at least a day. You would be amazed at how much your vision can change in 24 hours.
Focus on what the purpose of the space is and allow yourself creative freedom without over filling it. If you happen to be technically artistic, a great trick is to take digital pictures of the empty space and use a photo shop or photo editor type program to virtually create your ideal environment. If you aren’t, you can also print out the pictures and draw on them for the same visual outcome.
Whenever you can take advantage of tabula rasa, seize the moment. The opportunity to reinvent and re-energize yourself should never be passed up.
I spent the last part of December decluttering so we could make some donations and then I spent January 3 decluttering my office. It is no joke, there is a positive life flow that is generated when space is cleared. I had never heard of the term tabula rasa before reading this post – thank you for sharing!
I couldn’t agree with you more. Cleaning and clearing your space is essential for keeping your mind and energy clear as well. I make a regular habit of cleaning off my desk, cleaning out clutter, and purging items I no longer want, need or love.
I find that every time I clean out anything, whether my closet or my kitchen cabinet, my energy is revitalized.
Beautiful article – especially for us creatives! I find that I can’t work or think straight with clutter around. Sure, I can do admin things and get things checked off the to-do list, but to create something – absolutely not until I have a clean slate and a vision that is clear and free of clutter!
Thanks for the reminder – great article!
“De-cluttering your environment can provide clarity and focus you may not have even realized you lacked.” This was certainly the case for me recently after hiring a cleaner to come in regularly (a gift/reward to myself that I had been promising to myself for a long time and finally followed). Well – I’m hooked. It’s difficult to think straight let alone focus in a cluttered environment. My productivity and creativity are soaring! And time away from the laptop can be spent with family (not cleaning the house!) xo
Oh my goodness … you are right. My office gets to be a mess. I am a total piler – it’s my natural state. But every couple weeks, I take time to organize everything, put everything away, throw things away … and it feels so good. I am super productive the week after because I feel really good about my space. It’s as if it re-energizes me!
Like Jennifer, I am a stacker. The last two weeks have been lovely since I purged tons of stuff. It required hiring an organizer to work with me, and my attitude has been on high and I’ve been able to work so much better. A friend once told me that when you need a break through in your life, go clean out a drawer. I believe she was right!
This piece really speaks to me, especially today. The reason being, as soon as I am done posting to this blog, I am going to go clean out my file cabinet and then do some filing. Unfortunately, I have waited at least six months since I filed the last time, so it is quite a task. Ugh! I am fairly good at keeping my spaces uncluttered, except for my office. For some reason that is my Achilles’ heel. I have struggled with it for as long as I can remember.
When you put everything into perspective, the way you did above, I get that I am subconsciously sabotaging myself. Definitely time to get this under control and realize the full potential of my space AND myself…
Thanks for the clarity!!
Great article Cathy! I must admit…I am a pile-r! I don’t always recognize the affect my piles have on my workflow until they are gone! Thanks for these great reminders on how to keep the creative juices flowing and work efficiently.