I keep a separate “analog” desk for this reason
Establishing consistency for routine-building is widely encouraged, but should all creativity be limited to the same space?
Working remotely from my home over the past two years, I’ve spent quite a bit of time in my home office. While it’s undoubtedly been a privilege to be able to do so, I have found that the increased time spent in that space has changed the general vibe of the area for me.
When you spend 10 or more hours in the same space, doing everything from web development and schoolwork to video editing, podcasting, and writing day after day, it can somewhat stagnate one’s creative process. Over time, I slipped into a bit of a writing rut as a result of this stagnation.
I tried writing first thing in the morning, writing over my lunch break, and even writing before bed, but the other tasks continually battled for my attention. By remaining in the same space, working on the same computer, I found that part of my mind remained anchored to my job-related tasks. What I needed was to change my workspace.
I dusted off my laptop and tried my hand at writing in the living room, then at the kitchen table. Neither worked as there were just too many distractions. After a few more experiments and some reading, I eventually came across some interesting advice from Austin Kleon in his book, Steal Like an Artist. In it, he mentions the importance of maintaining an “analog” desk to help cultivate and nurture one’s creativity. With nothing to lose, I decided to give it a try.
I cleared out a small corner of my office and set up a modest writing desk I’d ordered off Amazon. On it, I placed one of my vintage typewriters, specifically my favorite out of my collection, the Royal 10. Other than that, though, I kept it pretty bare bones. There’s a stack of shelves with plenty of copy paper, a desk lamp, some markers, and a couple issues of Writer’s Digest in the side pocket. The idea was to create a separate space free of any digital distraction — a totally unique experience from the rest of the day’s work.
What I found was that it allowed me to separate my thoughts from those other obligations and tasks, allowing me to focus more fully on my writing or creative exercise.
The typewriter, for instance, keeps me grounded by not having access to the internet or any other programs. As a result, it forces me to confront the blank page, which in turn helps me remain focused. While you could say, “Hey, you could just turn off your internet connection,” there’s still the stop down of things like spellcheck and the double-edged sword of the backspace and delete keys that can interrupt the flow of the writing process. Without them, mistake or no, I could only press onward, which in turn made first drafts a sudden breeze to knock out.
I use the typewriter to write first drafts of all of my works now, fiction, school papers, even blog posts like this one.
When I’m not writing first drafts, I’m either journaling, outlining, or sketching at the desk. Pretty much any way I can embrace the “analog” vibe to spark my creativity. Some things work great. Others, not so much, but that’s fine. The important thing is keeping things fresh and staying “tapped” into the creative well.
Whenever I finish a draft, I edit it with a pen and then grab my laptop and hammer out the second draft in a Google Doc or Word file. It not only keeps things fresh and helps me see the piece in a new way most of the time.
Final thoughts
After spending months stuck in a writing rut, I found the best path out to be a change of workspace and even format by utilizing a separate, “analog” desk. Doing so allowed me to mentally distance myself from my other work and school priorities and just focus on writing and other creative exercises.
I highly recommend giving it a try. Whether it’s an analog “desk,” such as a kitchen table or breakfast bar, or your favorite corner of the couch, try finding a unique space that works for you and see if your work and creativity experience a bit of a boost over time.
