Yesterday morning I was sitting in my home office after getting my son off to the bus. My cat, Nemo, was rolling around in front of the computer while I checked my email (he likes a morning cuddle before he gets down to some serious napping for the day).
I read my email, read some blogs, played a game of solitaire Hearts. Generally, I was wasting time. I had lots of writing to do – a blog post, a new e-book, and my ezine. But I just couldn’t get started.
In an unusual move for me, I packed up my trusty laptop, grabbed a notebook and headed off to my favorite coffee shop. Other than the distraction of Nemo, my home office is wonderfully suited for work. I have a full-sized keyboard and mouse for my laptop, high speed internet access, every business book I could possibly need. It is quiet, well-lit with natural light and the beverages are free.
The coffee shop, on the other hand, is not. It’s a busy place, with lots of caffeine junkies coming in to get their morning fix. There’s tons of seating for people to catch up on gossip or to have meetings. There is a steady stream of interesting people walking by the floor to ceiling windows. Funky jazz is playing on the speakers. And the beverages are decidedly NOT free. It’s a very busy place.
I walked to the shop – a leisurely 20 minute stroll in the sunshine – ordered my coffee and muffin and set up my laptop. Words started pouring out of me. Great stuff – if I do say so myself – and quick. Work that would normally sweat out of me in about two hours took 30 minutes. Ideas flowed. It was great. It was magic. Why had I never done this before?
So, the next time you’re stuck, try packing up your laptop and finding a change of scenery. What have you got to lose? You’re not getting anything done anyway. Maybe the new locale will be just what you brain needs to jumpstart your creativity.
Andrea J. Stenberg
When you have these lack of motivation moments, what gets you out of your funk? Leave a comment and share what works for you.
