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Can a messy room really be good for your creativity?

Are you not convinced that an organized space is better for innovating? Would you rather work around your messy desk and cluttered shelves?

According to a recent study, the mess could be a great way to get your imagination going!

Much of the research, and public exuberance, on clutter is focused mostly on the home. Still, with workplace stress expected to cost U.S. businesses up to $190 billion in health care costs each year, it’s time to recognize the role of clutter on creativity — and what we can do about it.

Types of Creative Processes

It is pretty well known that certain personalities thrive in messy environments, but some crave a clean and orderly workspace. But at their core, what is the difference between these two unique personalities?

A Messy Creative Process

Of course, messy people are attracted to creative endeavors! Have you ever attempted to paint a painting without producing a sloppy mess? Have you ever tried to mold a lump of clay without getting your hands caked with grime? Of course not! Artistic people tend to have a personality that thrives in messy or cluttered environments.

Creativity is, by its very nature, a sloppy process. What happens when you ask your child to draw a picture for you and provide them with supplies such as glue, scissors, paint, and glitter is as follows: A magnificent, one-of-a-kind creation, as well as a huge mess.

An Organized Creative Process

Clean fanatics, on the other hand, prioritize their desire for cleanliness over other, less critical activities. For them, having a home where you can eat your meal is the pinnacle of achievement — but only if you tidy up your space afterward.

This type of organized personality is more common in professions such as architects, secretaries, and project managers. Which one sounds more like you?

Why Do Some Creative People Have Messy Homes?

Messy people may seem disorganized or irresponsible, but they are more often masters of prioritization. They often prioritize the most significant parts and are able to ignore the less important ones.

While it may appear that keeping everything perfectly ordered is helpful, it’s frequently a burden for messy people with creative minds.

How to tell if clutter is killing your creativity:

  • You find yourself too distracted to work. If you find yourself spending more time staring at your clutter or daydreaming than actually working, it might be time to clean up.
  • You can’t locate valuable tools or documents. If you spend a lot of time rifling through the clutter to find your pen or important documents, your cluttered lifestyle isn’t working.
  • Typical processes are taking longer than they should. If you find that you are spending more time than usual on unimportant or straightforward tasks, you might need to get more organized.