Managing the Spaces in Between
Adapting to new physical, mental, and emotional spaces.
Posted 5/1/20
A few weeks ago, we considered the positive interplay of mind, creativity, and environment in architect Donald Rattner's, The Psychology of Space.
Rattner presented studies by biologist Roger S. Ulrich which demonstrated how "physical settings can be deliberately configured to promote the healing process" in hospital patients, and asked if we might "be able to elicit other mental reactions through environmental factors" and brain priming such as improved creativity and mental well-being.
As we move through the current COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are restricted to smaller, more limited physical spaces for both work and in our everyday lives as we practice social distancing and mind stay-at-home orders.
How do you feel about the new physical space you find yourself in? What about the mental and emotional space?
Professional coaches and therapists supporting individuals through this uncharted territory — with its undercurrents of uncertainty and feelings of loss of control — are helping people to manage their health and wellbeing, in part, by asking them to focus on the things they can control to help move from the overwhelm of things they can't control.
For example, spending more time at home or alone may lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. Reaching out to family, friends, and others in real-time by phone or virtual connection for support and social engagement is something you can act on.
What do you have control over right now, and what can you do about it?
And what might happen if you reframe thoughts of "restricted" and "limited" to "focused" and "opportunity"? Does that feel different?
In these uncertain times, creating micro-environments to help us focus and move through the new spaces we find ourselves in might be helpful. Rattner guides us towards establishing these environments, something we have control over, in Designate a Creative Space, timely for those now working remotely and setting up new, productive spaces at home.
You might use "focused opportunity" as a tool to creating flexible, responsively designed micro-environments for yourself in managing your time, energy, and motivation through this crisis. There is no one-size-fits all, and you get to control how this will work for you based on your own personal circumstances.
As you do this, it may be of interest to learn about how some famous creatives such as Benjamin Franklin and Maya Angelou managed their daily routines — day jobs, creative work, sleep, leisure, eating, and exercise — all differently from one another. Rattner shares an informative list of over two dozen creative men and women from past to present illustrating what worked for them.
Find what works for you, even if just for five minutes today. And if it helps, feel free to share your thoughts with us.
©2020 Chris Dunmire and Maria Chatzi. All rights reserved.
Maria Chatzi is a former teacher and self-taught artist from Thessaloniki, at the northwest corner of the Aegean Sea. She loves helping people discover their creative side and embrace their uniqueness. Chris Dunmire is the driving force behind the Creativity Portal Web site, currently managing the spaces in between in the Midwest US.