Finding space to be creative

Finding a space to be creative, to open up your mind is not always easy, and it has been increasingly tricky for many of us over the last year as we have had to share our space with others who have joined us working at home.

I remember in February last year I was bemoaning spending all my time on my own (which I have to say, I went on and on about to anyone who would listen), now I have a house-full and so carving out an area where I can free my mind to explore my creativity can be difficult.

The space doesn't have to be very big, it just needs to be my space. Some natural light helps, a window with a view is nice too (though this is a double-edged sword), but it needs to be somewhere I can make piles that no one else needs to move. Somewhere I don't have to tidy up first, because that is just another distraction to getting things done.

I am lucky that I have been able to move on from the kitchen table into an 'office' space which has given me the option to commandeer part of a room that I can call my own, where others are much less likely to move my stuff.

I suppose I like my space to just look 'curated' just enough so it feels like I am busy, but not messy enough that I can't see my desk, or not to do any work at all because I am spending all my time tidying the messy desk, an extra distraction.

It is not just physical space that we need, it is also brain space. Sometimes finding brain space is harder to find than actual space to work. It can be hard to switch off and find the mental space to free up your mind to create something.

It is the dis. They are real and they drag you away from your brain space; the constant tidying up after everyone, additional stuff around the place to climb over, and then 'caring' for everyone, and by that I mean making sure everyone is fed and watered, has clean clothes, logged into the correct lesson.

Managing these distractions can be particularly difficult because there is that guilt when you are drawing, sewing, knitting, crocheting (and the rest) that it does't look and feel like I am 'working', so I find myself having to look like I am working - so sitting staring at a computer screen in order not to be interrupted. However, sitting at a computer is not necessary where I am at my most creative. Yes, I use my computer to create my digital images that I use on my cards, but the ideas for these cards, the inspiration, the initial sketches are all done away from a computer.

Soon they will be back to school and back to the office, and I will be back on my own again, and I will miss them. But for now I will pine for a nice, quite place away from the housework where I can get back into creating something, somewhere I can spread out my stuff and my mind.

So just how do you clear your mind and find brain space? How do you find physical workspace?