This post is the second in a two-part series on using constraints to improve creativity. Part I is here!

[C]reative people organize their lives according to repetitive, disciplined routines. They think like artists but work like accountants. — David Brooks, in a NY Times Op-ed

I write only when inspiration strikes. Fortunately, it strikes every morning at nine o’clock sharp. — W. Somerset Maugham

There’s a myth in our culture that creativity and time management don’t mix.

This post is the first in a two-part series on using constraints to improve creativity. Part II is here!

The more constraints one imposes, the more one frees one’s self. And the arbitrariness of the constraint serves only to obtain precision of execution. — Igor Stravinsky, from Poetics of Music in the Form of Six Lessons

Nothing is more intimidating than the blank page.

We’ve talked about how everyone needs to create, but how? How the hell do you actually do it?

I’m finishing up a weeklong family “staycation” at my parents’ place in St. Louis, and I’ve spent much of that time on a bicycle.

New surroundings create fresh perspective, and riding unfamiliar roads has made me notice something I’d stopped noticing on my usual cycling routes back home:

Writing for a few minutes at Kaldi’s Coffee in Clayton, Mo

I’ve written about time management a lot recently, and I see two complementary approaches.

1. Maximizing the amount of time under our control
2. Using that time wisely and deliberately

We’ve covered #2 a lot recently, but today, let’s discuss a strategy related to #1: using small chunks of time between commitments.

Maybe you’ve got 9 minutes before it’s time to leave for your haircut, or 16 minutes before your flight boards, or 4 minutes before the meeting starts. These amounts of time seem insignificant, but like spare change thrown into a dresser drawer, they add up quickly. If you harness this time, you can get your work done faster, lower your stress levels, and improve your ability to focus.

It’s 1:57 PM, and you’re at work.

You’ve got a meeting at 2:30, but it’s just down the hall: a three-minute walk. You realize you’ve got exactly 30 minutes available, which is just enough time to make some progress on that big project.

You dive in, but your brain soon interrupts you. “Hey, buddy, you’ve been focusing pretty deeply. Feels like it’s been a while. You’re not late for your meeting, are you? Better check the time.”