# change your location When creatively blocked, sometimes the best solution is to find a new environment to work. If things aren't working where you currently are, then go somewhere else. There is a reason why the idea of working at a coffeehouse is so popular. You can camp out and work while sipping a caffeinated beverage. For some reason, being isolated in a room full of people can be a strong motivator to work. Distractions are only a glance away when you want to [[take a break]]. Public libraries are a great affordable option where you can work relatively quietly. Plus, they usually have pretty good free internet. Of course, you don't necessarily need to leave the house, just move to a different room. I tend to prefer working on the more creative portion of a project in the living room but would rather work on the detailed precise work of final production at the desk in my bedroom. --- A few weird personal approaches that worked for me. Back in college, I found that on nice days, it was worth going to a cemetery to work. Cemeteries are quiet and peaceful and people will usually leave you alone. Take a coffee and a lawn chair and plant yourself under a tree to work. This is especially useful for those who live in the city and are constantly surrounded by other people. Alternatively, when I needed some energy and tension to help me move forward, I found that it was worth going to the airport to work. Airports are stressful places with people running around harried and freaked out. Carving out a calm center in that chaos was enough to keep me motivated. During the Covid lockdowns, I remember hearing the story of the lady who struggled to find focus while working from home. Her novel solution was to get dressed for work and then go drive around the block and come back home as if she were coming to work. At the end of the working day, she would get back in her car and drive back around the block to come back home. The routine of leaving and driving a short distance was enough to shift her mindset. --- tags: #creativity #process home: [[! creative process]]