Author bio: Jonas Altman is a writer and entrepreneur who helps individuals and organizations thrive amidst change. With over 20 years of experience, he’s partnered with global brands like Google and The Guardian to drive innovation and well-being. A certified coach and author of the bestselling book Shapers, Jonas blends relational intelligence, mindfulness, and creativity to guide others through transitions with heart and purpose—fostering clarity, growth, and meaningful change.

Your best ideas rarely come to you when you’re trying to have them. They certainly don’t emerge while staring at a screen or drowning in notifications. Yet, this is how most of us try to force creativity—push harder, multitask better, and pray for inspiration to appear. News flash: It won’t.

Creativity doesn’t flow on demand from a tap–It comes with clarity, space, and momentum. But in our world of persistent digital noise and ceaseless demands, how do we create the conditions for creativity to flourish?

The answer isn’t another productivity hack or working harder—it’s about refining your rituals, shaping a space that fosters deep work, and making tiny shifts that lead to big breakthroughs. Here are four strategies to experiment with as you design a creative process that works with–not against–your creative natural flow.

Here are four invitations to experiment with as you build the process that suits you.

What’s In and What’s Out?

A great place to start? Declutter–your space, your mind, and your workflow. From 2016 until the pandemic detonated my routine, I had a structured morning ritual: no phone before work (shout out to my old-school alarm clock), 20 minutes of meditation, an outdoor walk every Monday, and distraction-free writing from 10 AM to noon.

This period was easily my most focused, creative, and productive stretch.

Since then? Total free-for-all. But I’ve realized the key isn’t about rigidly sticking to old rituals—it’s about evolving them. A simple way to do that is by making an IN vs. OUT list for your current creative season.

Here’s mine:

*Spoiler alert: take Shift for a spin to help tame your tabs— download here.

You get the idea—more brain space, fewer distractions. Creativity doesn’t respond well to force; it thrives in the right conditions. That’s why I’m optimizing for boredom, brain blinks, and mind-wandering—because this is where the magic happens.

Moving Meditations

You don’t need to run a marathon (unless you’re into that). A simple stroll will do the trick. Walking isn’t just movement; it’s a creative catalyst. Aristotle, Charles Darwin, and Helen Dunmore all swore by it. Why? Because walking quiets your inner world and awakens the outer one. It fosters reflection, integration, and—most importantly— breakthroughs.

Not convinced? Next time you’re stuck, go for a walk without your phone. Just you, your thoughts, and the sound of your feet hitting the ground.

Designing Your Creative Environment

Your environment matters. A lot. Prime yourself for flow by designing a space that supports creativity. Research shows that even something as simple as adding plants can boost focus.

Let’s talk about digital hygiene. I used to hoard 87 tabs for later, but then I discovered how minimizing digital clutter = maximizing mental clarity. So try this:

• Adopt a “searching vs. filing” mindset—stop over-organizing digital folders
• Create deliberate digital “off” times to let your mind reset
• Cultivate no-distraction deep work blocks (up to 120 minutes max)
• Use Shift to integrate all your apps, email accounts, and tabs into one window

The truth is that our best ideas don’t show up at our desks. They arrive in dreams, walks, conversations, or stillness. Be open; they’ll find and consume you. And if you want to go the extra mile—consider experimenting with grand gestures.

Revisiting Your Rituals

I know myself: I have to clean my space before I can focus. Otherwise, I’ll think about laundry, the dishes, or whether my yoga mat gets optimal sunlight.

When I finally sit down, I lock in:

• Phone on silent or airplane mode
• A minimalist digital workspace
• Dedicated distraction-free writing blocks

These little tweaks make all the difference. Call me eccentric, but this simple structure lets my mind soar. I swear by tech sabbaths and Monday morning walks—my small rebellion against an “always-on” culture.

Want to create rituals that actually stick? Use the 6 C’s:

1. Commitment – Show up, even when uninspired.
2. Consistency – Regular daily actions beat occasional creative sprints.
3. Creativity – Make space for experimentation.
4. Community – Surround yourself with hell-yeah people
5. Curiosity – Stay open to new ways of working.
6. Celebration – Acknowledge progress, however small.

A simple way to build habits? Stack your triggers. Pair a new ritual with an existing one:

After I meditate, I make my delicious coffee.
After I make coffee, I sit down to write.
After I write, I go for a walk

For many of my clients, walking the dog becomes an anchor—triggering everything from journaling to deep work. Stack positive triggers, and you counter creative resistance.

Juice Work vs. Popcorn Work

Some tasks demand high focus and deep immersion. Others? Autopilot mode

Juice Work = Big exciting creative projects (think strategy, desiring, writing)
Popcorn Work = Low-brainpower tasks (think email, scheduling, admin)

Knowing the difference changes everything. One of my clients structures her workdays around this concept—aligning creative bursts with high-energy periods and saving low-energy admin work for later. The aim is to align the type of work with your energy levels. The result? Less burnout, more fulfillment—and more juicy work in her life.

Your Call to Action: Protect the Asset!

Big shifts come from tiny habits. Your job? Protect the asset—and that asset is you.

Organizing your creative life isn’t about perfection—it’s about practice. You can unlock new levels of focus and innovation by letting go of what no longer serves you, shaping a creative space that fuels inspiration, aligning your work with your energy, and using tech wisely (not letting it use you).

So ask yourself: What’s one small tweak I can make today to get closer to clarity, calm, and creativity?

Whether taming your tabs, re-engineering your rituals, or starting a digital detox—the first move starts with you.

Want more? Check out my previous blog on the beauty of translations and how to navigate them gracefully. And dive deeper below:

Creativity Code Workshop (IG)
Meeting the World Prompts (PDF)
From Flourishing to Floundering (Newsletter)
Mind Wandering (Newsletter)
Either hell Yeah! Or No. (Article)
Safeguarding Your Time (Article)
The Myth of Writer’s Block (Video)
Where Great Ideas Come From (Video)
DJ MIXES to Fuel Creativity (Playlists)

DM me with your thoughts, strategies, and any tips!