As a creative photographer, my mind never rests; ideas come and go like waves, pulling me in different directions. I’ve often jumped from one idea to another, a thrilling but chaotic dance that has left many projects unfinished. The result? A constant chase for the new, and a nagging sense of unfulfillment. This lack of focus turned into a real obstacle for my art.
Staying focused is a common struggle for creatives like me, but my game-changer was surprisingly simple: a notebook.
In chess — and yes, I do dabble in chess, sometimes — a mate-in-one is a decisive, game-winning move that brings victory one step closer. I found my own mate-in-one for focus in a small notebook with a pen, sidelining my smartphone. Knowing how to stay focused, I recognized that a smartphone, while convenient, is a minefield of distractions. Notifications, messages, and endless apps can derail my creative focus in an instant. A notebook, however, provides a pure and undistracted space to jot down ideas without interruption.
After capturing an idea, the notebook turns into a taskmaster. I list out what’s needed to turn the idea into a tangible project.
Writing it down, feeling the pen glide on the paper, keeps me on the straight and narrow. It guides me from finishing one project to kicking off the next, boosting my overall sense of accomplishment. If you’re also grappling with focus issues, consider this simple yet effective method. Just like that decisive move in chess, it could be your key to unlocking untapped creative potential.