Create a writing environment free of clutter to help you stay focused

British spelling

A few days ago, I was sitting looking at my blank screen (yeah, totally uninspired) when I suddenly realised I was surrounded by “stuff.” Yes, stuff. Lots of distracting stuff all over my writing space.

What once was a nice little round table where I had decided to move my “desk” to, so I could only have on it what I needed for writing, was now a centre of chaos.

Somehow, the chaos expanded without me noticing when it happened.

Two days ago, I decided to move my writing space somewhere else, to a different desk. That would be a place where I would only have my laptop, phone, perhaps a notebook and a pen since many times I like taking handwritten notes, and of course a glass of water and a cup of tea. Nothing more.

This should help me to have a clear mind, more focus, it should feel nicer. I also returned the small round table to its original function: A place to go just for a cup of tea when I take breaks.

And that’s another point; in order to stay focused, I need to take more breaks. Now it’s all set up.

The new setting is working well so far. I have set a new area only for working and I have a separate small corner for relaxation time and tea breaks.

I should be able to keep the two areas separate for some time, at least.

While clearing up the two areas, I was thinking about how often things get out of our hands, and I am talking about clutter here. After a while, your desk is so full of stuff that it becomes impossible to focus.

A writing space without clutter makes me feel much better, inspired, and it motivates me. When I wake up, I feel good if my writing space is nice and tidy, ready for me to start writing. Yet, I sometimes seem to forget all this.

Perhaps now that I wrote about it and by doing so, I had more time to actually think about how it makes me feel, making the process more conscious, it will help me to keep myself accountable.

Does clutter in your writing space influence you? And, I’m very curious to know if you, like me, change your writing place often. Does it help you?

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About the writer: Susan Fourtané is a science and technology journalist, professional writer, dead media archeologist, photography enthusiast, a free-spirited maverick, and sometimes a hermit. She travels capturing the essence of what she thinks it’s interesting.