Meditative Creativity

In college, I tried working on a paper on the connection between extended boredom and creative blocks. I never found enough material on the subject to do the research paper, so I chose a different topic and forgot about it. Years later, while going through a bunch of old college stuff, the memory of this failed paper was jogged when I found the notes for it. Thinking back, I realized similar times of extended doldrums now produce my best bursts of creativity. The only real difference I've found between then and now is my mindset when going about "boring" tasks.

When I did housework, stocked shelves, or anything else less than fascinating back in high school and college, I spent the time thinking just enough about the job to get it done well while mentally complaining about how boring the job was. It's not surprising after a few weeks of going from basic classes to a part-time retail job to cleaning up before bed with this less than stellar attitude, I had difficulty shifting gears. Bad attitudes are addictive in the worst way. In a twisted way, complaining can feel good while wrecking your outlook and slowly chipping away at your health. 


In the early days of motherhood, I was in too much of a sleep deprived haze to keep up the habit and got out of it. Tasks such as housework have become so automatic after a couple of decades doing them, my mind can almost completely disengage without hampering how well the job gets done. This has left my thoughts free to drift.

Housework has become my meditation time. Some days I actively brainstorm. Others, I let my mind blank. Those are the days when the bursts of inspiration come. Sometimes it's a whole new idea. Some days it's a new thought regarding an old one. All are helpful.

I've come to realize I'm never bored unless I waste time meditating on how much I dislike a task. Instead I start a subject simmering on the back burner or let my thoughts go quiet. I find myself thinking of something new or in a new way. Sometimes, I just refresh and tidy the mental workspace.