How to get 4x more done without losing your creative edge

Guest post by Melody Granger

There seems to be this myth that creative people are messy.

So, I want to tell you the truth about the creative entrepreneurs I’ve had the honor of working with to organize their office spaces.  They aren’t messy, they’re perfectionists!  And that’s often their “messiest” problem.

There have been studies on the thinking differences between the right-brain (creative) and the left-brain (logic) people, which show that those who are right-brain dominant think in a more emotional, compassionate, intuitive, and expressive way.  The left-brain dominant people think in a more analytical, factual, and logical way.

Your dominant thinking style fluctuates between creative and logical throughout your life.

In fact, right now I’m about 60%-55% logical, 40%-45% creative.  My right and left brain are working more closely together than they ever have before.  It’s probably why I work so well with my clients who are more creative than I am.

Go here to take a right brain/left brain quiz.

My clients tend to range about 65%-75% creative, 25%-35% logic or around 6-7 (left)/10-11 (right), depending on the scoring system of the test.  When their logic mind turns on, it seems to go haywire…hence the detailed perfectionism.

Details are important, but I assure you that not everything has to be extremely detailed.

What I see happening is the perfectionist streak stops creative entrepreneurs in their tracks.

When an area is becoming more frustrating to use and they know they need to get it back under control, they have high standards and want it done perfectly.

It simply gets daunting or overwhelming because they see the whole picture first, then start seeing all the little details and decisions they will have to make.  Their logical, analytical thinking turns on, but their emotional side sees a big, overwhelming project.

If they get past this point, then they tend to set-up complex systems.

The problem with maintaining complex systems is that when the creative brain is unleashed, then logic flies out the door.

Creative entrepreneurs get totally in the moment expressing themselves through their work.  As they should be doing!

A busy, creative entrepreneur doesn’t have much patience to maintain complex systems, which is why the systems blow up or eventually stop getting used.

Whenever a creative entrepreneur isn’t over-organized (complex, tedious, overly time-consuming systems) or under-organized (losing things, wasting time searching, forgetting to do things, and often feeling ADD), and instead become well-organized in a way that complements both their creative and logical thinking, then they can maintain their systems on a much longer-term basis with much more ease.

The creative entrepreneurs I work with are much more peaceful and inspired when they are working from a beautifully, organized space.

In fact, they get more hits of inspiration, feel more intuitive, and are able to spend more time in their creative zone of genius, when their senses aren’t being bombarded with too many things distracting their attention.  They don’t like messes.  They do like color.

When they need to tap into the logic side of their brain to manage the systems of their business, they tend to think more clearly and make better decisions.  It can often be hard for them to flip the switch and get started doing the logical things in a productive manner if their spaces feel overwhelming.

Clear, organized spaces help them flip on the logical switch more effectively and consistently.

Creativity is a must for business owners.  Organization, systems, and logic are crucial pieces of the puzzle, too, to help you grow your business.  Well-organized systems can be your best business friends for a very long time.

The thing a creative entrepreneur really needs in place, to engage both the creative and logical thinking, is an inspiring workspace with simple systems they are confident using on a consistent basis.

Inspiration isn’t on a schedule.  Be prepared when it hits!

A streamlined workspace with simple systems increases productivity of repetitive business responsibilities. You can be getting 4x more done without losing your creative edge.  Especially when you mix your creative & logical thinking styles.

Add in a fabulous routine that allows you the flexibility to run with your creative ideas, then you can flip the brain switch back to the logical side to clean up any “mess” you made in the process.

The next time you want to organize, let your creative side come out and play, but don’t let your logical thinking make it too complicated and no fun!  The perfect systems for YOU will show up naturally.

What’s your right brain/left brain ratio? Take the quiz and then share in the comments below!

Melody Granger is a professional organizer and spatial expert who works with service-based entrepreneurs running a business from home.  Melody helps them get well-organized, so they grow their business with even more confidence, ease and speed.  For more organizational advice, please visit MelodyGranger.com.