Creativity Needs Chaos… Or Does It?

We’ve all heard the line: “Creativity thrives in chaos.” It’s a romantic notion—one that conjures images of brilliant but disorganized artists, late-night bursts of inspiration, and ideas scribbled on cocktail napkins. And for years, I bought into it. I leaned into the chaos, believing that total freedom from structure was the key to unlocking my best creative work.

Turns out? It wasn’t. I was scattered. And it was exhausting.

But when I tried the opposite—forcing myself into ultra-rigid Type A productivity systems—I didn’t thrive there, either. My creative flow dried up, my energy tanked, and I felt like I was constantly failing at a system that wasn’t built for me.

The truth is, creative thinkers operate differently, and we need to use time differently. Neuroscientific research backs this up—our brains thrive in structured flexibility, not rigid systems or total disorder. The key isn’t to eliminate structure or force yourself into someone else’s system—it’s to build your own structure that complements how your brain works.

The Neuroscience of Creativity & Time

Research in neuroscience shows that creative thinkers rely heavily on the default mode network (DMN)—the part of the brain responsible for idea generation, daydreaming, and making unexpected connections. This is why some of your best ideas come to you in the shower or on a walk.

However, the executive control network (ECN) is what helps translate those flashes of insight into action. Studies show that toggling between these two networks—deep creative time and structured execution time—is essential for high-level creative output.

This is why creatives often struggle with traditional productivity advice. Strategies designed for linear, task-oriented thinkers don’t take into account how creatives need to oscillate between unstructured idea time AND structured execution time to do their best work.

How I Stopped Fighting My Brain & Built a System That Works

Once I embraced the fact that I was a creative thinker—not a Type A planner—everything shifted. Instead of trying to fit into a rigid system, I built workflows that actually worked for me:

✅ Time-of-Day Awareness – I learned when my brain is best at different types of work. I protect my peak creative hours for deep work and save admin tasks for lower-energy times.
✅ Automating & Simplifying Systems – I stopped overcomplicating things and built simple, repeatable systems that support my creativity (not fight it).
✅ The 5 Stages of Creativity – I embraced the natural creative process, allowing time for ideation, incubation, execution, refinement, and rest—rather than forcing linear productivity.
✅ Batching Work – Instead of task-switching, I now group similar tasks together, minimizing decision fatigue and maximizing flow.
✅ Squirrel Time (Yes, Really) – I allow space for curiosity and idea exploration, but I contain it—giving myself freedom without getting totally derailed.

Now? I have more rewarding, more productive, and less exhausting creative days. Not because I eliminated structure—but because I built the right kind.

The Challenge: What’s Your Version of Structure?

If you’ve ever felt stuck between chaos and rigid structure, here’s your challenge: start designing your own creative-friendly system.

Try this: Identify one small structure that could help your creativity—not hinder it. Maybe it’s setting aside protected idea time in the morning before diving into work. Maybe it’s grouping one type of similar tasks together instead of switching constantly. Maybe it’s designing a repeatable routine for one aspect of your client projects so you don’t reinvent the wheel each time.

What’s one small system you can experiment with this week?