In a recent @Evernote podcast @MichaelHyatt, productivity expert, explained:
“When we write, we get clear. When we get clear, that acts like a magnet that pulls us towards (our goal)”. Many creative people resist structure because they feel it restricts their freedom and suffocates creative expression. To the contrary, structure actually allows more room for creativity because once you have a plan, a schedule, and goals you can control the way you spend your time rather than it being frittered away with distracting thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that aren’t part of the life you want to live."
Our knee jerk reaction to “structure” can come from a place of thinking that it means feeling trapped or will put us in a box - but putting your baseline structure in place allows for a sense of stability and that sense of stability allows you to know when it’s wise to be “pulled away” from your baseline for an opportunity, creative thought, or a brain break.
Challenge: Evaluate your initial reaction to the thought of “structure” - write those thoughts out on paper and see what they look like.
If there’s some resistance there, where does it come from?
What and who has shaped the way you view “structure”?
If you were to view structure as a “space creator” - how would you change what you’re doing right now?
What small change can you start with to re-evaluate the role “structure” has in your work?