Three Ways the Proper Environment Can Improve Creativity

Ever since I set up my first recording studio space (albeit at the foot of my bed at my parents' house in high school), I've come to understand and appreciate the power that physical environment wields over creativity. In my experience, creativity is as much a mindset as it is a process and properly setting the scene for creative work can go a long way towards putting us in the right frame of mind to think differently. Below are a few ways that a dedicated space for creativity can yield positive results.

Reduction of distractions
When we're pulled in all directions throughout our day, it's incredibly difficult to focus on the task at hand, let alone to shut out the mundane in order to think more broadly about a new idea or process. By creating a space that allows us to step away from our regular world, we're signaling to both our bodies and minds that something new is happening. This simple displacement from one location to another can lead to "activation energy" as described by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his seminal work on flow. Entering an environment dedicated to creativity goes a long way towards blocking out unnecessary distractions and encouraging innovative thinking.

Encouragement of collaboration
With a little planning, there's a lot that can be done to a space to encourage collaboration. Collaboration at its best brings together people with diverse ranges of experience who can contribute their specific insights to the broader project. However, this doesn't happen automatically. It's only in creating the time and, of course, the space for this kind of collaboration that a creative space can flourish.

Flexing different "muscles"
I think it's worth stating that creativity isn't magic. Nor is it the sole province of a group of "gifted" practitioners. However, in order for us to explore and grow our own innate creativity, we need to take the time and make the effort. One of the first - and best - ways to do this is to go to a place dedicated to creative work. The act of leaving one environment and going to another acts as a signal that that it's time for us to flex our creative muscles. This alone can go a long way towards encouraging us to think differently and generate new ideas.

Conclusion
In my career as a songwriter and music producer, I've set up countless creative spaces in the form of writing rooms and recording studios. The goal, in each instance, was to design an environment where it felt not only possible but also good to create. The better the space, the better the creative work. The proper environment can lead to a shift in mindset and approaches that will bear spectacularly creative fruit.

Bio
Cliff Goldmacher is a GRAMMY-recognized, #1 hit songwriter, music producer and author with recording studios in Nashville, TN and Middle River, MD. Through his studios, Cliff provides songwriters outside of Nashville with virtual, live access to Nashville's best session musicians and studio vocalists for their songwriting demos. Find out more. You can also download Cliff's FREE tip sheet "A Dozen Quick Fixes To Instantly Improve Your Songs."