“Go somewhere else,” I told myself.
It was a Tuesday morning. And instead of hustling up to my attic studio to eat breakfast with a side of email, I took my tea and notebook to the porch. I did need to work—but on producing ideas rather than consuming information.
Perhaps, I thought, a change of scenery would inspire creativity.
A light breeze tinkled the windchimes. The neighborhood tomcat sauntered by. I could hear grade schoolers on the nearby playground. Would these distractions keep me from making progress?
Nope. After a few deep breaths and a sip of tea, I picked up my pen and started making notes. I reminded myself of the goal and problem to be solved. Conversations came back to me. Ideas resurfaced from the incubator at the back of my brain. My mental gears engaged and gained momentum.
Just shy of an hour later, I headed back inside, pleased with my creative output. I marched up to my desk—the place where sh*t gets done—ready to shift gears so I could answer email, contribute to conversations, and deal with all things routine and unexpected.
Do you do this, too? Choose different locations for different types of work? How do you decide?
If you want to know where to work, ask a neuroscientist
I didn’t ask a neuroscientist where I should work that day. But if I had, they likely would have mentioned that location does influence brainwork. A change of scenery can stimulate creativity, while staying in a familiar place can contribute to focus.
Novelty sparks creativity
Science backs up what many of us know in our guts: novelty sparks creativity. When we shift environments—step outside, walk around the park, try a new coffee shop—we expose our brains to fresh sights, sounds, and textures. This novelty wakes up the mind, pulls us out of autopilot, and helps us find connections we might not otherwise recognize.
In a study of the influences of natural environments on creativity, participants who were shown images of greener, more natural settings performed better on creative thinking tasks than those shown concrete-heavy settings. According to the researchers, “viewing natural environments stimulates curiosity and fosters flexibility and imagination … and the benefits of attention restoration can improve the uniqueness and diversity of creative ideas.”
I know this from experience. Whenever I change my vista—and especially when I get outdoors—I notice my ideas shift, almost like my brain is saying: “Aha! Something new! Let’s play.”
Familiarity can feed the flow
But sometimes the best work comes when you don’t move. Staying in one place, especially a familiar one, can help tap into what psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi famously called flow—that state of deep immersion where time feels irrelevant. Familiarity reduces distractions and lowers cognitive load. You don’t have to wonder how to access your files or how to control the thermostat. Your brain is free to focus.
And as a self-proclaimed “daily practice junkie,” I have to shout out the power of habit. When I consistently visit the same space for creative action, that space becomes a mental cue: this is where I draw, this is where I write, this is where I have my best ideas. The environment itself nudges me into productivity.
Some writers swear by their favorite desk or chair for this reason. Location becomes sacred—an essential part of the process.
Where will you go to do your best work?
The key is knowing when you need novelty and when you need familiarity.
Psychologists often divide creative thinking into two modes: divergent and convergent thinking. (I wrote about my divergent leanings awhile back.)
- Divergent thinking is when you generate lots of ideas, explore possibilities, and make unexpected connections. This kind of mental work thrives on novelty.
- Convergent thinking is when you refine, execute, or choose the best option. This kind of activity benefits from flow and stability.
So, you might brainstorm best in a coffee shop but find it’s easier to edit at your desk.
Location, location, location
Creativity isn’t limited to what happens in your mind. It’s also about the interplay between your brain and your environment. Sometimes you need to stray from the same old routine. Sometimes you need to stay in that zone.
Success lies in knowing where you need to be right now.
To figure that out, run some experiments:
- Alternate between two or three creative locations you enjoy. Give yourself enough variety to refresh your mind, but not so much that you feel unsettled.
- In a pinch, introduce micro-novelties to your surroundings. Rearrange your desk. Use a different color of ink. Select a new genre for your background music.
- Pay attention to the type of mental work you’re doing—generating or refining—and adjust your environment to match.
Try it this week. At least once, take your creative brain to a new spot for an hour or two. What happens? Then, when you return to your usual place of productivity, notice what happens to your flow. Play with a new rhythm of novelty and familiarity, and you’re likely to reach new heights of creativity and productivity.
Read all about it
Care to learn more? Here are a few books to explore:
- Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi – Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. The bestselling classic that holds the key to unlocking meaning, creativity, peak performance, and true happiness.
- Florence Williams – The Nature Fix. Delving into brand-new research, Williams uncovers the powers of the natural world to improve health, promote reflection and innovation, and strengthen relationships.
- Cal Newport – Deep Work: A guide to cultivating distraction-free focus in familiar, stable environments.
