So far, we’ve talked about the factors of pricing and location. Now let’s dive into something hard to define, but still important when you are considering the quality of your office space: the environment.

I’m referring to two things: the physical environment, as well as the emotional and social one.

The physical environment is the area around your office. Do you like the neighborhood? Is it safe and well-kept? Does the office space have amenities like a kitchen, copier, clean bathrooms, or a parking lot with good access?

The emotional and social environment is also important. What are the people like? Are they friendly? If it’s a co-working space, are they keen on helping each other? Do you like the general vibe?

A couple of years ago, when I knew I was leaving my college job, I checked out a local co-working space in the next town over. I immediately got a snobbish vibe, like the owners thought they were the coolest cats in town. I didn’t feel welcomed.

On the other hand, last year I rented an office at a different co-working space for a month and loved it. The people were super friendly and the vibe of the space was fantastic. They held a lot of community events at their space and it was clear they really cared about people.

However, I didn’t rent an office there because the only ones they had available were slightly bigger than a shoe box. Another checkmark against that space was their policy that you could only work there during business hours. That was a big NO in my book because I often like to work on Saturday mornings or, occasionally, in the evening.

I like the vibe of the space where I am now. It’s close to my house, and the owners and property manager are all super nice. Yet, it’s also a professional environment, so it has lifted me up to another level just by being in this space. In addition, I can come and go anytime I like, day or night.

Don’t ever let anyone tell you that your environment doesn’t matter. It matters greatly. As much as it depends on you, choose to work and write in a space that values you and helps lift you to another level.

And if you are just fine working from home, that’s great also. But be honest with yourself: are you happy with that environment? If not, what can you do to improve it? You may want to revisit the series we just finished on clearing the clutter.

Today’s Challenge: Whether you’re working from home or considering an outside space, think about the physical and emotional environment. Is it helping you be more productive and have a better state of mind? If not, what can you do to change or improve it?

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We all hang onto certain things longer than we should. I tend to hang onto cords, cables, technology, and sentimental items I no longer need. I’m the guy who still has Huey Lewis cassettes from 1985 in his closet… along with the broken Walkman to play them! I’ve always been a packrat.

The problem with being a packrat is that these items clutter your life… and your work area.

As I approach 50 in the next couple of years, I’m much less inclined to hang onto this stuff than I used to be. I’m downright ruthless these days when cleaning. I challenge you to go through your work area and get rid of any items that are no longer serving you.

For example, as I look around my office right now, I see several things that need to go. There’s a random stick of Chapstick on my bookcase someone gave me for Christmas. I never use Chapstick but I felt guilty throwing it away. I see a pencil sharpener I have used a grand total of one time.

I see a Kindle Paperwhite tablet that’s about 8 years old, and I never use it. I see a small drawstring bag that held a small gift. I thought I might use the bag but it’s sat on my shelf untouched for almost a year. I see a high-quality lanyard that has my old college’s logo on it. The lanyard held my college name tag, and I wore it around my neck every day for the last few years I worked there. I kept it for sentimental reasons, but there’s no reason for me to keep it.

You see a pattern here: I felt a tinge of guilt at the idea of throwing these items away. But here’s the problem with hanging onto things we don’t need anymore: each unwanted item contains just a bit of emotional energy that we could free up for things that are relevant to our lives right now.

I will either throw away each of these items or find a new home for them. You can probably identify lots of items in your work area also. Physical items are not neutral. Your relationship with those items either adds positive energy to your life because it’s helping you in some way now… or it’s draining your energy because you feel guilt for not removing it from your life.

As you can see, this exercise isn’t just about being “neat” and “organized.” It’s really about getting your emotional life in order. Writing requires a lot of emotional energy. If you can free up more energy by getting rid of random junk, knick-knacks, and other odds and ends from your physical space, you will have that much more energy to give to the things that matter to you.

Today’s Challenge: Take five minutes and get rid of random stuff in your work area. If you hesitate or feel ambivalent about keeping it, that’s a sign it should probably go.

The post Clear the Clutter: Office or Work Area appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

It begins by facing the truth that your office or work area is probably a lot dirtier than you realize. All you need to do is take a close look at your computer keyboard or run your finger over a bookshelf to get a firsthand glimpse of the dust and dirt that covers nearly every surface of your office or work area.

I’m no cleaning expert, but I recommend taking a few minutes to tackle these three areas to help you get a solid start in cleaning:

1. Clean the floor and walls. Break out the vacuum, broom, or mop. Wipe down the baseboards and walls, making sure to get the dirt, grime, and cobwebs, especially near the ceiling.
2. Clean your desk area and shelves. Take off the items and wipe down every square inch of your desk if possible. Wash your desk mats if you use them. Clean your computer keyboard and mouse with alcohol and Q-tips. Dust off the shelves and bookcases.
3. Clean the windows, doors, dry-erase boards or other hard surfaces. It’s amazing to me how dirty these surfaces can get, especially doors.

I know some people believe that the process of cleaning windows and doors brings in a new spiritual energy. I don’t know how all that works, but I do know that when you have a clean work area, you FEEL better, like you have a fresh start.

Even if you do nothing else, this single act of taking a few minutes to clean the dirt from surfaces will give you a new energy and vitality!

Today’s Challenge: Before you go to bed, take ten minutes to clean these areas where you write and notice you good you feel!

The post Clear the Clutter: Dirt, Dust & Grime appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

But there is more to writing success than just doing the work. A big part of the equation is the environment in which you do your work. Since we’re still in January, this is a natural time to think about changes that can make it easier and more fun to write.

Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll focus on some ways to clear the clutter in your workspace. Although we writers like to talk about lofty ideas like book concepts, character arcs, or publishing strategies, the plain truth is that your environment has a big impact on your mindset and writing success.

Most of the time we don’t give a lot of attention to how our workspace is organized—or if it’s been organized at all! But if this is where your creative work comes to life, you should make sure it’s set up for maximum efficiency.

There is an intimate link between your physical environment and your mind. When you clear the clutter from your environment and have an orderly, clean place to work, you can be more productive and less anxious.

All that said, some writers still believe that a messy workspace somehow benefits their creative output. I can just hear the voices of protest: “But Kent,” you say, “I’m a stereotypical writer or creative person. I do my best work in a messy, chaotic environment.”

If that describes your point of view, let me share three observations:

1. I don’t buy the stereotype of a messy writer or artist. Sure, there are disorganized creative people. There are disorganized, messy people in every kind of field. But not all writers or artists are like that. The most successful writers I know are highly organized and strategic people.
2. Being disorganized and messy is a choice, not a personality trait. Yes, certain personalities tend to be more clean and organized by nature. However, you can make the choice to have a neat work environment.
3. Just because you CAN work in a messy environment doesn’t mean that you should. It’s like driving a car with low air pressure in the tires. Can you still drive that way? Yes. But can you do something about it? Yes. You can put more air in the tires and the car will function more efficiently. If you currently have a messy workspace and everything seems fine, you can be even more productive with a clean workspace.

If you’re ready to make a fresh start and begin creating a better environment for your writing, tune in over the next couple of weeks for the rest of the series!

Today’s Challenge: Ask yourself how you could benefit from having a neater, more organized workspace for writing.

The post Clear the Clutter: Series Introduction appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Here’s writing habits practice #4:

Don’t wait for the perfect conditions to write.

We writers dream of writing in a beach cabana with the wind softly tussling our hair. Or we dream of a quiet house with no distraction so we can bring our creative genius to life.

But that vision doesn’t usually align with reality. We are irritable, we have interruptions, the weather is bad, we have stressors, or other issues. We just have to get it done anyway. We can’t wait for the perfect situation to actually get our work done.

EB White, author of Stuart Little and other classics, said this:

. . . the members of my household never pay the slightest attention to my being a writing man — they make all the noise and fuss they want to. If I get sick of it, I have places I can go. A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.

Think of the amazing gifts that E.B. White has given us with his words. If he didn’t need perfect conditions, you and I don’t either. After all, that’s why God made headphones, correct? You can always put on a pair, crank up some focus music, and keep on writing.

Question: How do you handle distractions when trying to write?

The post Writing Habits Practice #4: Don’t Wait for the Perfect Conditions appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Today we’re going to talk about practice #2:

Set up a dedicated writing space that is free of distractions.

Let me ask you something. Have you ever tried to write in a space that you use for other things like eating, entertainment, or playing computer games?

It may seem convenient at the time, but what you’re really doing is signaling to your brain that you should be doing all those things at once. The environment where you write has a powerful effect on your ability and motivation to actually get the work done.

This is why it’s important to try and write in a space you only use for writing.

It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Even a simple table will do—or a broom closet if you need! When you work in that space, the environment tells your brain it’s writing time… not eating time, entertainment time, or sleeping time.

It is also helpful to set up your writing space so that it’s free from distractions, which includes clutter. There is nothing more conducive to great writing than a clean, neat, organized desk free from the clutter of everyday life.

In addition, it’s also helpful to shut off as many distractions as possible from our digital devices. It’s hard to concentrate if you constantly have pings from your phone going off while writing.

All this may sound like a tall order, but you can start simple. In fact, I’m in the process of creating a whole separate office for myself. I find that I write much better away from home than at home. I may end up just building an office in my basement.

Even if you don’t have extra space in your home or apartment, you can do something as simple as sit at the kitchen table or somewhere else in the house. The awesome thing about being a writer is that you don’t need much… just a writing tool, a chair, and a table or desk.

Question: Do you have a dedicated writing space free of distractions?

The post Writing Habits Practice #2: Set Up a Dedicated Writing Space appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Everyone who has ever planted anything knows that you can’t just throw seeds on the ground. You must prepare the soil. Otherwise, the soil won’t be ready to receive the seeds. The seeds will die and all the effort and future potential will have been wasted.

Your creative mind works the same way. It can’t just receive ideas and then cause those ideas to sprout. Your mind must be prepared. So how do you “till” your mind, so to speak? How do you prepare your mind not only to receive ideas, but also create an environment for them to grow and flourish?

There are perhaps many answers, but the most important one is getting into an environment that encourages growth and creativity. Join a mastermind. Create a community. Go out with some positive and creative people for coffee. Start a club. Make social media posts about creative ideas and ask for feedback. Write blog posts and make videos and engage with people who comment.

It is impossible to prepare the soil of your mind by yourself. It is essential to be in an environment that encourages new ideas and creative thinking. When you consistently do this, the seeds of great ideas and effective writing will have an opportunity to grow into something meaningful.

The post Preparing: Till the Soil of Your Mind appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

I’ve found myself working a lot more in coffee shops the last few months, which is enjoyable but has its challenges. As I consider whether to rent a co-working space, I will be spending more time in coffee shops because I’m more focused and productive away from home. And even when I do get a co-working space eventually, I will still probably write in coffee shops at times.

I thought it would be fun to share a few tips that have been helpful to me as I’ve learned to navigate some interesting dynamics of working in coffee shops, a location where a lot of writers do their work.

1. Choose a coffee shop that fits your style.

The one I visit most often is La Belle Vie in St. Charles, Missouri. It’s a spacious coffee shop that is only crowded on Saturday mornings and Sundays. I love it, because there is a variety of seating and it doesn’t feel crowded like most Starbucks and other coffee shops do. It takes about 20 minutes to get there from my house, and I like the feeling of commuting and going to work.

There are lots of coffee shops in my area, but this is my favorite because most of the others just feature one single space, and it just feels cramped to me. I like La Belle Vie because it’s a large, segmented space where I’m around people but I’m not super close to them. You might want something different, but that is what suits my style.

2. Choose the right kind of table for working.

Personally, I like sitting in a booth, but most coffee shops don’t have this. I’m lucky that La Belle Vie does, but sometimes those couple of booths are taken.

If a booth is not available, I’ll often sit at a unique desk they have where there are several seats that face out the front window. I love that there is no distraction because you can’t see other people. I think the type of table and workspace does make a difference. If you don’t feel comfortable, you won’t be as productive. So, choose a seat that’s comfortable, and where you can spread out your stuff. I know I take up a lot of space at a table!

3. Bring your headphones.

As I’m writing this, I’m sitting in a coffee shop and there is a table of 7 ladies sitting a few feet away having lunch. I’m wearing my headphones to block out their conversation so I can focus. Personally, I love my Airpods. They are expensive but totally worth it.

4. Make sure your computer is fully charged.

I made this mistake earlier this week because I went to a coffee shop to work but my computer only had about 30% of its charge left. This seems like such a simple thing, but with devices running our lives these days, making sure you have battery life is critical. You may not always have access to an outlet.

5. Use a great writing playlist.

There are a couple of music playlists I use when I’m working and writing. One is called “LoFi Beats,” and it’s available on Spotify. The other is a movie scores playlist, and this is also on Spotify. I put the links down below. I love instrumental music because it helps me focus.

6. Know what you want to accomplish before you start working.

It is very easy in a coffee shop environment to just zone out and not be productive. But before I sit down, I always know what I want to accomplish in those couple of hours. It helps me stay motivated and work quickly.

I always try to keep the words of the legendary basketball coach John Wooden in mind when writing or working. He said, “Be quick, but don’t hurry.” There is a lot of value in following that advice. Work with speed and intention, but don’t rush and get sloppy.

Whether or not you write in coffee shops, these tips can help you be more successful and productive in your writing. Also, if you’re interested in the music playlists that I listen to while I write and work, check out the links below:

LoFi Beats Spotify Playlist

Movies Scores Spotify Playlist

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