I once read somewhere that an important driver of creativity is solitude. I think that’s true, at least for me.
I’m not saying you can’t be creative while doing something else. Good ideas can come from anywhere and at any time.
But to develop my thinking on something, to allow my brain to noodle around a topic, I need space.
That means shutting off inputs and distractions. No people and no urgencies vying for my attention. And definitely no internet, the worse offender of all.
I find the process of creativity isn’t about walking a well-defined path. I often start by thinking about a particular idea or problem I want to solve, but I don’t get to the end by trying to hit a series of predetermined milestones. Instead, I wonder. I’m curious. I play. I allow my mind to go into different directions. Sometimes that wandering takes me completely off-topic and I have to steer myself back. But eventually, I’ll hit upon insights that are interesting, relevant, and gets me excited.
None of this would would have been possible if I didn’t clear the decks and isolated myself. Having enough space to think is one of my daily priorities.