I’ve just come back from a writers block. I was hoping it would be a writers hyperbolic-parboloid.
Yes really, writers hanging out together on the side of the Langeberg mountains at the Towerland Wilderness retreat to write, left of centre. It’s an annual event.
You would have loved it. Even if you never write.
But what really struck me, and would have also impressed you, is how easy it was to get into the ‘zone’.
No distractions, untrammeled nature, good company, delicious food, fresh air, silence and a feeling of timelessness…. all supported by architectural spaces which were gentle, dynamic, carefully designed and made from natural materials. Designed as nature would, disciplined yet freely responsive.
And what happened?…nothing…… and then eventually a fly woke me up.
No not actually……enormous productivity! By being simultaneously disciplined and relaxed the quality of my writing had a sense of immediacy, freshness and sparked with originality. I was remarkably effective in every way.
As you can guess, when I returned to the city…..my focus became frayed at the edges. I came from county-side candle lit suppers, to suburban candle lit suppers, compliments of Es-kom en go. Phones rang and emails backlogged, the rigid architecture spoke a different language to me, sirens and machines…productivity and a sense of aliveness was hard to come by. Finding this in the city is more challenging.
So my question to you is, ‘What physical space do you need to be in, in order to find the inner space that supports your creativity, wellbeing and productivity?
