Staying creative is essential for life as a writer. Even for those who consider themselves endlessly creative, there can still be occasional challenges. Indeed, sustaining creativity throughout the course of writing a book is difficult in itself. One of the steps you can take to keep creative is improving your access to clean and fresh air.
In our current environment, being able to breathe clean air isn’t necessarily guaranteed or easy. Nevertheless, having an understanding of the value of fresh air and how you can enhance it in your writing space and routine can be positive.
How Clean, Fresh Air Helps
On the most basic level, breathing poor quality air may have a detrimental effect on your well-being. In the short term, it’s not unusual for pollution to cause throat and eye irritation. On a longer time scale, though, exposure to pollution can lead to issues such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), among other serious illnesses. As a result, you may find you have less energy, get unwell more often, and that these symptoms disrupt your writing sessions.
Additionally, one recent study has shown that poor access to quality air may specifically impact creative performance. In particular, higher levels of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) in the air were associated with the originality, quality, and fluency of participants’ creative activities. As a result, it’s in the best interest of your health and your creative functioning to prioritize clean and fresh air into your working space.
Taking Practical Steps
Getting access to clean and fresh air in your writing area is a primary area of focus. After all, this is likely to be where you spend the most time working. It can be challenging, particularly if you live in a city that’s subject to a lot of pollution. The key is to take some regular practical steps to mitigate the impact of the outside contaminants.
Some ways to improve your indoor air quality include:
- Investing in air filters: High-quality air filters can capture particulate matter in the air. High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are particularly effective, as they remove some of the smallest particles — including mites and allergens — that could cause problems. You can use these for both stand-alone filtration units and those connected to your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
- Minimizing sources inside your home: Filters can remove polluted air that enters your writing space from outside. But it’s also important to reduce the sources of poor air quality from within your home. This might include tobacco smoke, which can be a source of benzene. When decorating your writing space, you should also use low-VOC paint. Using a dehumidifier can also be key to mitigating mold and dust mites during humid times of year.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that some of the steps you’ll need to take will be specific to your location. For instance, if there are fluctuations in air quality due to wildfires or allergens, investing in a smart air quality monitor may be useful for making informed adjustments as circumstances change.
Incorporating Nature
Making the most of clean and fresh air doesn’t have to be reliant on filtration methods alone. The natural world can be a great source of both healthy air space and inspiration as a writer. Finding ways to incorporate nature into your writing routine can be an advantage to your well-being and creativity.
One way to do this is to occasionally take the time to write in natural areas. You could go to a nearby hiking trail, National Park, or urban forest area. Finding spaces to visit where you’ll be surrounded by a lot of trees is particularly beneficial. This is because trees are carbon stores, which means they capture certain toxins, giving you access to cleaner air. Therefore, taking your notebook to write in the great outdoors can be beneficial.
At home, consider bringing a little of nature into your writing space. While it would take a lot of plants to completely purify the air in your space, having different types of vegetation can still improve quality. Not to mention that the presence of nature can lift your mood, impacting your creative productivity. Items such as peace lilies, chinese evergreen, and spider plants are among the plants recognized to be good for air quality.
Conclusion
Maintaining clean, fresh air in your writing space can have a great impact on your creativity. It is vital to minimize pollutants in your home as well as find ways to embrace nature. Remember, though, that this is just one step toward a healthier and more productive writing lifestyle. It’s equally important to look at other areas in your life and routine that can be more conducive to a healthy and creative experience.
Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.
