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Hey there, innovation champions!
You might think, since I help companies unlock innovation, that I’m an early adopter of every new technology. In fact, I’m often slow to jump on the bandwagon.
When ChatGPT came out, it took me over a year before I really dove in. And that wasn’t just because [Read more…]
The chaotic artist’s studio. The writer’s desk piled high with a jumble of papers.
These are iconic images. (Just look at this famous picture of Einstein’s desk on the day he died.)
Creative genius, these images seem to say, is facilitated by clutter.
Some studies, including this one, described in this New York Times article, even suggest that messy environments encourage originality and a search for novelty. (Though it’s interesting to note that the same study suggested that a tidy, orderly environment tends to inspire healthier dietary choices.)*
What this study didn’t investigate, though, is the difference between mess and clutter. [Read more…]
The other day I was leading a group call and something happened that I wanted to share, because I know it’s relevant to a lot of people. Lumpy gravy is involved, and microscopes, and corrals. It’s all in service of avoiding distractions so you can get your important work done and live the full-color life you long for.
First. some background. [Read more…]
Lately, in my morning meditation sessions, I’ve been doing a mental happydance every time I notice myself absorbed in and distracted by thought.
Huh? Isn’t the goal to focus on my breath and not let my mind run and wander?
No, in fact the goal is mindfulness, and guess what: when I notice that I’m thinking again, that is mindfulness in action.
That moment of noticing is not an opportunity to beat myself up for my monkey mind; that is the golden moment, because every time I notice myself thinking, I now have the opportunity to simply let that thought go, and return to my breath. [Read more…]
Once upon a time there was an artist whose marriage fell apart, forcing her to move from a two-bedroom house with a yard, dining room, laundry room and small office/breakfast nook to a small one-bedroom apartment. Her entire studio — industrial drafting table, flat files, file cabinet, light table, computer desk, etc., all lived in her living room.
The artist loved that little apartment, but it was a tight squeeze, and always a chaotic mess, and she wanted so much to be surrounded by order! So in a desperate attempt to cool the overwhelm, she bought every organizing container, tool and book she could get her hands on. [Read more…]
