Café Creativity

Did you know that some of the most successful people have done their best work in coffee shops?! Think Pablo Picasso, Bob Dylan and JK Rowling.

An article by Bryan Lufkin unpacked some of the reasons why we’re more creative when we’re in a coffee shop, and it’s not just the coffee itself!

According to research he undertook, the combination of noise, people and visual stimulation found at our local coffee shop provides us with distractions that help us be our sharpest and most creative selves.

The ambient noise of people, the playlist and the hum of the coffee machine in the background keeps us ever so slightly distracted from the task at hand which in turn boosts our ability to think abstractly leading to the generation of more creative ideas. Being surrounded by other people who have come to do the same thing also provides a level of motivation we sometimes find hard to generate on our own.

Besides these factors, the act of working somewhere other than within our own four walls removes us from the familiar (and sometimes boring!), providing visual stimulation that can also have a positive effect on our creativity and output.

Now whilst our ‘work’ with needle and thread may be more likely to happen at a Guild or within a Stitch ‘n Chat, the same sense of ‘Café Creativity’ can be found as it’s not the café itself, but rather the sounds, people and visual stimuli that helps us to be more creative and fruitful.

However, as Bryan so aptly pointed out in his article, we all have a ‘Goldilocks’ level at which we produce our best work. So, whilst some of us may find that taking to needle and thread on our own is where we’re most productive, for others it might be worth the time to temporarily relocate and stitch publicly as we may find the benefits of the ‘just right café’ too good to pass up.

Where do you do your best work with needle and thread – within your own four walls, surrounded by likeminded people or perhaps amidst the hustle and bustle of your local café? Email news@inspirationsstudios.com and let us know what you’ve declared as your ‘just right’ place to stitch.