How interruptions kill creativity
Typing like crazy inspiration flowing through my fingers. Brilliant ideas coming. This is going to be the best blog I have ever written! Floating with the muse’s typing 100 miles an hour I almost have it that final thought, reaching those last amazing words to make my whole idea hit home in a powerful way … reaching, reaching almost have it … then … “Jill! Where’s the sunscreen, I can’t find it.” If I ignore his question maybe I can stay in the flow for 2 more lines … “Jill! Where is the sunscreen?” And … Bam! It’s over.
Inspiration lost, back to earth for sunscreen, and I am pissed at my husband for interrupting creative genius at work (ok, maybe not genius but it might have been, we’ll never know, will we?).
Ever have a similar experience where someone interrupted you while you were in the flow? Were you really pissed? Did you ever wonder why?
Well, let’s assume you did because I am going to tell you.
When you are in “the flow,” meaning when you are focusing so intently on something the world seems to fall away a bit and time doesn’t seem to exist, your brain waves are functioning in the alpha state. This is the brain wave state you are in when you first wake, when you are falling asleep, when you meditate, and when you do hypnosis/hypnotherapy.
It is theorized that the ability to get into this state is a sign of intelligence, which is why I laugh when my engineer clients who are VERY easy to hypnotize tell me they think they are too smart for hypnotherapy.
Being yanked out of this state is almost physically painful and can be quite uncomfortable, almost like being woken up when you are in the process of drifting off to sleep, hence the anger. Plus, it feels good to relax, concentrate, and let the ideas flow and it’s not always easy to get back to that place once you have been jolted out of it.
Anyone who spends time with a gamer knows that when they are furiously clicking on their mouse muttering to themselves about killing some dragon or zombie that you can’t see, it’s not a good time to ask them a question, any question. Unless, of course, you want to fight, if so, that would be the perfect time to ask them if them to take out the trash. I can hear my husband growling at me at just the thought of that one.
So, what can be done?
Well, you must set boundaries and spell out rules. Perhaps tell your family if the office door is closed “please don’t bother me”. If you live with others you will need to create a system of sacred time and space to be in the flow without being interrupted. Create a system that works for you will prevent fights and interruptions.
My husband doesn’t pester me when I am typing, and when he’s playing his game I literally send him a text when I need to ask him a question. He hears the ding on his phone, but it doesn’t pull him out of trance. He knows to pause in between games to talk.
At the end of the day it’s about knowing yourself and acknowledging and respecting the flow of creativity and/or concentration when it happens and clear communication so that people’s processes don’t get rattled and we can all get along.
If you need help with this, visit my website for an appointment. For now, you must excuse me, I have to go find the sunscreen.
Much love.
Jill K Thomas CHT
Soul Connect Hypnotherapy
760-803-2841
Jill@soulconnecthypnotherapy.com
www.Soulconnecthypnotherapy.com
Author of the books “Tales from the Trance” & “Feed your Real Hunger”
Appointments available Globally by Video Chat