Tea or coffee? Fueling our creativity

Mornings are hard. It is easier to roll over into that warm pillow and spiral back into sleep than haul ass out of bed to the bleat of the alarm.

As I shuffle to my writing desk at ridiculous o’clock in the morning, my creative side-kick is a mug of strong coffee. I like my coffee with coconut milk and coconut oil. Coffee in the morning kicks me into gear. It gets my engine started. It warms my hands in winter and on most mornings, is reason enough not to be in bed.

When I’m lucky enough to have a whole day or half-day for writing, I reach for something other than coffee to escort me through my morning or afternoon session. In winter this is a big pot of hot tea or hot chocolate, made with coconut milk, cocoa and coconut oil (yes, I have quite a thing for coconut oil).

In summer I prefer a big pitcher of home-made iced tea or iced water with mint leaves, slices of cucumber or fruit and giant tinkling ice-cubes.

I also have a very small silver box of mints. These are the fiery ‘oh God that hurts’ type of mints, because I don’t want to be sitting there tossing sweets down my throat all day. You can only really enjoy one or two of those fiercely fresh mints before you’re done.

Thinking out my refreshments in advance, hot or cold, prevents me wandering away from my desk for some half-baked excuse when I am supposed to be creating or concentrating. It also gives me the fuel I need to stay sharp and focused. It marks my writing desk as a space where I stay hydrated, focused and take care of myself.

Giving our bodies and minds what they need to stay fresh, awake, alert and settled for a long haul wrings the best out of ourselves. A bit of thought and prep to create a physical and emotional routine to creativity sessions builds a space that is productive, kind and supportive.

What do you do to take care of yourself when you are creating? What routines or habits keep you fresh and focused in your creative space?

First published on my website 10 Sept 2020