Like many people I know, I am pressed to squeeze writing into my schedule in the midst of many other responsibilities and distractions. To get anything done, I create a to-do list and attack it at the start of the day. The more items I get checked off, the more successful I feel.
At some point I discovered that this method, while efficient, meant that I was sometimes missing out on the Creative Unknown—those flashes of good ideas, inspired moments, strange trains of thought—that come when my mind is free and open and I’m not particularly trying to accomplish anything. Some of my best ideas come then—for new projects, solutions to writing problems in current projects, and for new perspectives on life itself. I can’t force these creative flashes. I can’t predict them. The best I can do is prepare my mind to be open to them.
I found a good way to open myself to the Creative Unknown during my first sabbatical at my university a number of years ago. I was writing a book, so my days were structured around that project. I also was working on some articles, so typically I would work on the book until mid-afternoon and then switch to the other projects later in the day.
Even though I was getting plenty of work done, I still felt like something was missing, so I decided to experiment with setting aside one hour a day to Think.
Think about what? Anything my mind wanted to think about. I set no mental agenda for that hour. I didn’t try to come up with story ideas or solve problems or plan my future. I also didn’t check emails or access the Internet or turn on my computer or write or take phone calls during that hour. I sat in a quiet room and I thought.
For some people, that might sound boring or unproductive. Some might think they’d be too restless for such a practice. But it became one of my favorite parts of the day. Ideas broke through during those hours that I don’t believe I would have arrived at otherwise. I didn’t force my thoughts in any direction. My thinking went wide, but it also went deep. Even though people’s thoughts are spinning all day long, it’s surprising how little time most people spend letting their imagination take over. Usually people are pushing their mind in certain directions, toward certain outcomes.
The Thinking time I am referring to is different from daydreaming, or procrastination, or mental distractions. Those things pull us from work, and although good things also sometimes spring from those distracted times, for the most part those are wasted times, minutes and hours we wish we could get back. With the Thinking time, I never felt it was wasted.
For those who believe they’re too restless to sit in a room alone and think, I recommend trying it during quiet times of running or walking. No electronics, no conversations, just your thoughts. You may be surprised where your brain takes you.
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Doing versus Being. I know I am more comfortable doing things, rather than just being. But I know I NEED the being–because at night when I try and sleep, I usually lay there an hour or more, just thinking…praying…solving…contemplating. I love the idea of doing this in the middle of the day while in an upright position!
in the Psalms there is a term “Selah”–pause…rest. I think this could be the time of creative flow between the versus of our life.
this is a great piece of advice– I know my day goes better when I start with some serious Bible time and then allow it to percolate for awhile – it may be a form of your “thinking hour” (or not, hard to say!). Thanks for the encouragement!
If find it hard to actually set aside time. I wish I had the discipline to do so, but setting aside time to just be open to the create flow has always been hard for me. I did discover that I do little things every day, that are designed specifically to help me Not think and take a break from reality. When I am in my car alone, I listen and sing along to songs on the radio or on a CD, when I’m doing something mundane I try to keep music or TV in the back ground to block out distractions like deep thoughts. Lately I’ve been finding that while these times help me manage my stress in life, they are also moments that I can use to turn the radio off and think out loud to myself about things. There is something about hearing myself talk about things (story issues, new ideas, things I’m struggling with in other areas of my life), and hearing myself explain why something is important, that forces me to think about it differently. Suddenly my commute to work is transformed, and I’ve started to get back that time I find so hard to make. Yeah, I get some odd looks, but no more odd then I all ready got when I blasted loud angry music at 7am in the morning with my windows down, singing along. I actually get less.
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Someday I’d like to do a post on the benefits of talking to yourself out loud! Many writers I know do this, including me. I’ve heard of writers who pretend to talk on their cell phones so they can really talk to their characters.
Great reminder! Thanks for sharing 🙂
One of my most frequent complaints about life is that we are all too busy to take time and think. And I think that’s one of the greatest reasons I so often suffer from burnout.
That mad listmaking/accomplishing mentality describes me to a T but it’s extremely annoying not to have time to just ‘be’. I think people in general miss out by living the rush/rush/rush life without time for pause and reflection.
But building it into your schedule—that’s the bugger. I’d like to give that a shot though, see what happens.
Love this post, Joe. I just returned from a week of camping and hiking with women friends in the Sierra Mts. One day we took a gondola ride to the top of Mammoth Mountain and then walked/hiked down the five miles to the valley. During that three-hour trek I had plenty of time to ‘just think’ and it was one of the most profitable experiences I’d had all week. Nature has a way of taking me out of myself and into the universe where creativity and time with God abound.
I’ve actually tried this advice–though not for a whole hour (somehow that seems sinful). But just taking a break and sitting quietly and alone in a room without any electronic aids or distractions has led to knew ideas, new perspectives, new angles, even a good joke or two. Thanks, Joe.
Fantastic post! As a social media manager, I’m online ALL DAY and sometimes it’s overwhelming. Along with taking time to think, I need QUIET. No radio, no TV…just me and my thoughts. Thanks for the reminder!
Great post! It’s so true. Some of my best ideas come while walking my dog or even driving (with the radio off). For me, it’s just a matter of remembering them later or taking time to act on those moments of inspiration before I get distracted by something else!