I’ve added another productivity tool to my arsenal.
As individuals, we all have different ways in which we work. Even as an individual, I have several different work “modes” I utilize, depending on the type of work I’m trying to accomplish.
When I’m on a deadline and I’m trying to find just the right word or phrasing, I need complete silence.
When I’m writing for creativity, I visit the calm.com website or app, and let the rain or the waves occupy that distractible place in my brain.
When I’m coding, planning, or doing some technical writing, I take my office suite mate’s advice so I can focus at will.
And I just discovered a new tool for those times when I just want to write until I have something to say. Coffitivity.
Designed to emulate the creative rush received through the vibe of a coffee shop, this free site provides the ambient noise of the morning murmur of a coffee house, the chatter of a lunchtime rush, or the scholarly undertones of a university cafe. The idea is to create just enough noise to work. Here’s their science behind the idea:
According to a peer-reviewed study out of the University of Chicago, “A moderate level of ambient noise is conducive to creative cognition.” In a nutshell, this means being a tiny bit distracted helps you be more creative. This is why those AHA moments happen when we’re brushing our teeth, taking a shower, or mowing the lawn! If we’re not focused too much at a task at hand, we come up with awesome stuff. In the coffee shop, the chatter and clatter actually distracts us a tiny bit and allows our creative juices to start flowing.
Coffitivity is also available as a free app, so you can carry your creativity around with you in your pocket.
