This article is brought to you as part of the ASCAP Wellness Program.

As a music creator, whether you get most of your work done from a home office or a studio, on a laptop, instrument, a notepad or somewhere in between, having the ability to curate your own environment can be both a gift and a curse. On the one hand, having control over your surroundings can put you at risk of getting a little too comfortable, potentially sabotaging your productivity. On the other hand, with just a handful of smart choices you can create an atmosphere that inspires creativity and progression.

According to Jamie Gold, CKD, CAPS, MCCWC, a Mayo Clinic-certified wellness coach, wellness design consultant and the author of Wellness by Design: A Room-by-Room Guide to Optimizing Your Home for Health, Fitness, and Happiness, intentional decor can work wonders for your overall quality of life. Here, she shares how curating an environment you’ll enjoy spending time in can affect your mood, creativity, health, lifestyle habits and more.

How your surroundings can affect your creativity and productivity

Having an uplifting home office or workspace can make all the difference when it comes to juicing your creativity and keeping productivity humming, Gold says. That means making sure your environment, whatever that might be, is well lit, ergonomic and organized. 

“Good lighting can reduce eye strain and the chance of headaches, as well as show one’s work in more detail,” Gold says. Not only will good lighting allow you to stay on task for longer; research also shows that working with optimal lighting can boost overall productivity.   

An uncomfortable chair and desk setup can be obstructive to your physical health, but also your comfort, which in turn can compromise productivity and creativity as your focus shifts toward finding a position that feels better. “A standing desk can ease pressure on the hips and spine, get your body reinvigorated with movement, and improve posture, which are ideal for musical performers,” Gold says. Say goodbye to working from your dining table, or worse, your bed, and take some time to research comfortable desk and chair options for the most ideal setup for your situation.

While distractions are generally best avoided, some can serve as inspiration. For some creatives, it is nature that stimulates their inspiration, Gold says, while, for others, it can be listening to music by other songwriters or composers they admire, or art that they created themselves; many people are creative in art, music, writing and other media simultaneously. 

“There is actually an entire science to color therapy and which colors excite, delight or soothe, but I think creative people should use the colors in their workspaces that they’ve long loved and find most inspiring,” Gold says. “The same is true for art. However, this is very personal, and each creative individual knows what inspires them. Whether it’s a favorite paint color, artwork or memento, find things that delight or inspire you.”

That said, try to avoid having your desk look like you just unpacked a time capsule from your childhood. “Organization can reduce distractions and the stress that clutter creates,” Gold says. 

On the other hand, if you’re not a naturally organized person and you’ve found yourself stressing out over your overflowing desk, the looming chore of tidying up could be more of an obstacle than the desk itself. 

“Frustration can definitely get in the way of creativity for some of us – myself included,” Gold says. In fact, one study found that, for some people, a messy desk can actually encourage creativity. Of course, if you know yourself well enough to know that you work better when things are in order, just take those few minutes to straighten things up.

 

How your surroundings can affect your health habits

The connection to your work might not be obvious, but making time for substantial meals during the day is an important aspect of anyone’s health, and letting mealtimes fall by the wayside isn’t likely to benefit your work in the long run. An uninspiring kitchen can be an influential factor in whether you adopt healthy cooking habits or order takeout more often than you’d like to admit. 

According to Gold, the top reason why her clients don’t cook at home – despite knowing this would make it easier to eat more healthily – is that their kitchens are crowded and unwelcoming. 

“These dark, cluttered, inefficient spaces make it both hard and unpleasant to prepare healthy meals,” she explains. “The best tip I can provide to anyone in this position is to first declutter  and then reorganize the space. From there, you can add or upgrade your lighting and add fun and decorative elements to enhance it.”

Speaking of cleaning things up, cleanliness should be a standard throughout the environments where you spend most of your time. It’s not just about aesthetics; there’s also air quality to consider. Make sure to sweep and dust regularly, and consider adding some indoor plants to your workspace and other rooms as research shows they can help to reduce indoor pollutants.

“Whether you’re writing lyrics or composing a symphony, you want your surroundings to be as wellness-enhancing as possible, and that includes ideal air quality for optimum breathing,” Gold says.

We couldn’t talk about optimizing your living and working spaces without touching on the bedroom; sleep is an essential aspect of good overall health, and once you start to skimp there, it can wreak havoc on everything from your mood to productivity. The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t help matters much in that regard, as many people began to sacrifice both their sleep quality and sleep space in order to multitask. 

Do yourself a favor and banish your laptop from your bedroom. “Bedrooms have become multi-function spaces, especially since the pandemic drove school and work home. We need to reprioritize sleep, the bedroom’s most important role,” Gold says. “Put your electronics in furniture or behind doors or decorative screens when not in use, and create a restful environment with comfortable bedding and soft rugs.” 

How your surroundings can affect your lifestyle and mood

Research has shown that even five minutes of exercise can provide a mood boost, so why not build some activity cues into your space? 

If you don’t have access to a gym, consider storing small workout items like resistance bands or dumbbells in your desk drawer, or even leaving them out to remind yourself to use them.

That said, if you can get outside to exercise – after all, your environment isn’t limited to the one you pay rent for – research has shown that simply being in a natural environment can lower stress levels. If your work or living space is close to a park or trail, take advantage!