Writing and editing often go hand in hand, but your environment plays a bigger role in your success than you might think. As creatures of habit, we tend to stick to the same routines and spaces, hoping for consistent results. But when it comes to polishing your work, that consistency can backfire.
Your brain craves novelty to shift gears and do a better (editing) job.
Change your environment to enhance your editing
You’ve poured your heart into your writing, carefully crafting each sentence. Now it’s time to polish your work and make it shine. But if you’re struggling to shift into editing mode, the solution might be simpler than you think: change your environment.
Why changing your environment works
When we write and edit in the same place, our brains associate that environment with the writing process. This can make it challenging to transition to the different mindset needed for effective editing. By changing your surroundings, you signal to your brain that it’s time to switch gears and approach your work with fresh eyes.
Different environments provide new stimuli that can spark creativity and help you see your writing from a different perspective. A change of scenery will break you out of your habitual patterns and inspire new ideas for refining your work.
How to change your environment for better editing
The key to enhancing your editing
By intentionally shifting your environment when it’s time to edit, you’re giving your brain the cue it needs to switch gears. You’re creating a psychological boundary between the free-flowing creative process and the more analytical editing phase. And in doing so, you’re setting yourself up for more effective, efficient revisions.
Experiment with different locations, sensory experiences, and tools to find what works best for you. By training your brain to associate different environments with these separate tasks, you’ll be able to transition between them more effectively and consistently produce polished, high-quality work.