I swept the patio today and set up a few chairs so I could take my morning tea outside and enjoy the snow free yard, the birds singing and fresh air.
Nature and creativity...our focus for today. How many of you wind up spending way too much time on your electronic devices like your smart phone, computer, etc? Yes, if you work from home, you definitely need to spend time on your computers. And for most of us we use computers to look for things, order things, talk with folks, pay bills, send emails, etc., etc., etc.
But have you noticed how much our life has been organized virtually? I just sent off several emails this morning, some to ask questions, some to register for an online meeting, some to pay bills. We have come to depend on this virtual existence especially since the pandemic. But if we are honest, we were well connected virtually even before the pandemic. I am online even to upload this post to my blog.
So, first of all, I am not suggesting that anyone stop using this new virtual world. BUT, what I am suggesting is that we use it to our advantage rather than allowing it to waste our precious time. If we continue to use it without restraint, it can easily overload our brains. And that can lead to fatigue, attention difficulties, mental exhaustion and stress.
And all of those electronic things may work against creativity in it's most comprehensive definition. For instance, the electronic devices such as smart phones use our prefrontal cortex which in turn causes reductions in our cognitive resources. And those cognitive resources are foundations for our creative ability.
A walk in the woods (without the electronic devices) will help you rest, restore and refresh those needed resources and allow us to tap into our creative abilities. Another reason to take that walk seriously.
Next time you take your walk in nature, collect some natural things like pine cones, rocks, pieces of bark, etc. Arrange them in a basket and put them in a place where you see them often. It will help you remember that walk and encourage you to take another one...
Talk with you tomorrow...