Place of Peace
Have you ever felt the need to have a special place that is your go-to space for your creative engagements? For me, I have fulfilled this need by creating my own unique creative workspace. The benefits gained from having this retreat have been enormous. However, beyond how this space has benefited me, I hope to share in this post why having such a place would be equally beneficial for you.
My creative work is focused in writing. During this process, I enjoy being very closed off and introverted. To achieve these pleasures, I have converted my home’s previously dedicated guest room into my creative workspace. It is a small, secluded room; far off from the sounds of others coming and going.
To help make the room more aesthetically pleasing, I removed the queen-sized bed, the frame, and the dresser. Then, I added my writing desk, laptop, extra monitor, a light, and an Ottoman that converts from a simple rectangular seat into a twin-sized bed. Excluding some other minor flare additions, the room is pretty minimalist in appearance.
To further solidify the place as my own, I gave it a name: The Herb. Beyond just being silly-stupid, there is no real reason for this name. Honestly, I just thought it sounded like a funny thing to call a room.
Before The Herb, my writing workspace was positioned at the end of my dining room table, and only available during the night. Sitting there each evening while my son worked his infant and later toddler way down to sleep, I found that engaging in my work was very challenging. Not only was this a nomadic workspace, but it was also an open area workspace which is very testing for my concentration. Frequently, my mind would wander and I’d look back on the two hours I gave myself with nearly three-fourths consumed by YouTube surfing.
However, once I moved into The Herb, I found that getting into my zone for writing became simple and seamless. In here, I open my laptop, start some music, and I am in the zone. Through having The Herb, my creative engagement and output have greatly benefited.
Although this post is brief and highlights the benefits I have gained through obtaining my creative workspace, the true point of this post is to display the importance of why having your own creative space can be beneficial for you, as well. While my creative space is restrictive, yours could be the complete opposite; such as a bustling cafe or the soft hushed sounds found within a library. For me, I favor a more restrictive and less bustling space since I am an introvert who is distracted easily.
If you struggle with knowing which space might best fit your personality, one great place to start is knowing if you are an extrovert or an introvert. In the resource section below, I have provided a link to a great site (16 Personalities) that has an easy-to-use MBTI personality test you can use to figure this out.
Overall, I hope you found this post helpful, and that it provides extra motivation along your way to obtaining your own creative workspace. Too, that whatever you create or the space you make, you please return and share that with me. I’d love to see what you have brought into this world.
— -Motivation —
For friends who are both introverted and extroverted but need some helpful ideas on where to look, check out this Buzzfeed article on some famous creative uses spaces.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/summeranne/40-inspiring-workspaces-of-the-famously-creative
— -Resources —
If you are unfamiliar with introversion/extroversion and are curious to learn where you might best align, consider taking the 16 Personalities MBTI survey. It’s free and doesn’t require an account or email to complete. Most importantly, I have NO personal or professional connections to 16 Personalities or any of their affiliates.
https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
— Music Suggestion —
I really love Blume’s work. The playlist is always perfect for every area of writing work I’m doing. Please, check out Blume and this one playlist that has really grasped my attention, lately.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUMSXIudeJ8
— Sources —
Migaj, S. M. (2017, October 22). man sitting on gray dock [Photograph]. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/Yui5vfKHuzs
Burton, S. A. (2018, October 27). 40 Inspiring Workspaces Of The Famously Creative. BuzzFeed. https://www.buzzfeed.com/summeranne/40-inspiring-workspaces-of-the-famously-creative
Free personality test. (n.d.). 16Personalities. https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
Winter Chill Music | 1 Hour Mix. (2021, December 29). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUMSXIudeJ8
