Flatter Insights – Post 2
Beyond the Multitasking Myth: Reclaiming Creativity in a Sterile Digital Workspace
by Brittany Chiang (words are my own, not written with AI)
If you have ever tried to create or innovate in today’s Microsoft white and blue sterile virtual work environment, you understand the difficulty of delivering your best while sitting alone, staring at at-least one blue lit screen being bombarded by a cacophony of alerts from various platforms. This is the environment I work in everyday–despite having a wonderful organizational culture, a beautiful physical workspace, and colleagues who I enjoy collaborating with. In search of a work environment that is on par with a culture I am very proud of, I found several devices that significantly improved my ability to create and innovate in this modern world.
Single Purpose Devices
are #trending. My 18-year-old sister-in-law recently purchased a digital camera, with camera quality that doesn’t compare to the iPhone 15 camera. She didn’t buy this standalone digital camera to have the “best” camera quality– she was looking for an elevated user experience. One that de-coupled her from her iPhone and allowed her to distance herself from the feelings the iPhone brings–feelings of distraction and being overwhelmed rather than present and at peace. Single purpose devices are an intentional turn away from all-in-one devices, not just smart phones but also the personal computer–in part due to the acknowledgement that we cannot multitask, and we perform better when we are focused on one task, in this case taking pictures and enjoying friends. Vogue Business says, “Old technology is now a fashionable defiance of ubiquitous connectivity.”
“Old technology is now a fashionable defiance of ubiquitous connectivity.”
One single purpose device I absolutely love is the Alphasmart Neo2 Writer, a physical keyboard with a Casio Calculator-like Screen that displays 5 lines of text and captures only keystrokes. This device does not connect to the internet or have bluetooth technology. It does not boot up. You simply click the “on” button and select “File 1” which is one of eight physical buttons that each open a single file. Even the simplicity of only being able to save eight files brings me a Marie Kondo type satisfaction of paring down my digital belongings to only those that bring me joy. Currently those eight files are dedicated to 1) My monthly issue of DFTH, 2) An innovation paper on velocity for the Department of Defense, 3) A creative writing project inspired by my oldest son, 4) a personal journal, and the fifth through eighth files are open and empty for new ideas. After just one week of ownership, I had written more pages on the Alphasmart Neo writer than I had ever written by hand in the one leather bound journal I own.
Expecting productivity in the midst of a relentless digital cacophony—Slack pings, Teams messages, endless emails, Zoom calls, and SMS notifications—bombarding two or three devices and competing for your attention in an endless cycle of distraction, only amplified by AI assistance, is absurd. Humans simply are not designed to be productive in this environment. Go a step further and expect creativity, innovation, or self-reflection– and what you are asking for is a bridge too far.
We must take responsibility for the work environments of our teams, and think critically about the environments–both virtual and physical, that we are asking people to work in.
Why a WriterDeck?
Firstly, I prefer writing on a keyboard to pen and paper. I own a physical leather bound journal, in a bright teal color I can spot easily on my bookshelf, in my purse, or wherever it seems to find itself. I am simultaneously proud of the fact that I have not lost this journal in the 13 years I have owned it, and disappointed that I have not written enough to require the purchase of a new journal, especially when I love writing so much! I have only managed to write a single 1-2 page entry per month since I bought it in 2012. Conversely, I have written hundreds of pages in the same period for work in Microsoft Word. As I seek to find more time for mindfulness, self-reflection, and non-work-related creativity I realized that as a digital native, I am much more comfortable writing on a keyboard than with pen and paper. On a QWERTY keyboard, the speed of my typing keeps pace with my mind, and I am able to fully explore my thoughts, ideas, and pursuits. I can go hours without stopping, unlike with a journal where the labored pen marks against paper tire my hands and remind me that this is not an occupational skill that I have honed.
Secondly, I feel more secure writing on a Low-Tech device. Being a paranoid cybersecurity enthusiast, I already felt uncomfortable freely expressing myself in a notebook, not to mention on a company-owned device where my files sync to the cloud and are easily parsed with AI and served to the enterprise. My personal journal is the last thing I want popping up on my “recently accessed documents.” Using an alternative cloud based operating system like Google Drive or a personal OneDrive seemed similarly risky and would defeat the purpose of my journaling practice. Thirdly- the low tech nature of a single purpose device allows for enhanced mobility. Mobility that is non-internet dependent and has even greater range due to its long battery life.
The one constant remains, that the time set aside to journal is hugely valuable. I treasure the ability to read my thoughts from 2012 when I first became a mother–to be able to perceive in such detail the measurable growth over time. I wonder what that treasure might look like if I had let myself loose on a keyboard earlier. I definitely would have worked my way through more than just one journal’s worth of words in that time. Luckily, with my NeoWriter2, storage is never an issue.
I encourage you to check out the product listing at the end of this article for more information on a few single purpose low tech writer decks. I will be spending more time in 2025 thinking about the work and creative products I want to create, and what environments I want to create them in.
If you are able to slow your mind and find even more time for writing with pen and paper, please continue to do so. I know myself, and this is not my preferred method of writing, so I am going to allow myself to let this go. For me, I imagine even more user-friendly and whimsical operating systems. Ones that quiet the distractions in whatever form they come, so the user can have a single purpose-like experience on an all-in-one device with a tailored user experience to the purpose of the task.
Low Tech Devices for Journaling to Explore:
- AlphaSmart Neo2 Writer – Last manufactured in 2015 and no longer in production, this vintage e-writer is only available aftermarket. This is my weapon of choice when it comes to offline keyboard based journaling. Can be purchased on either Amazon or E-bay. $220.00-$300.00.
- Hemingwrite– A beautiful smart typewriter, equipped with a mechanical keyboard and cloud syncing capability. Comes with cognac leather carrying case. Can be purchased at GetFreewrite.com. $999.00
- ZeroWriter Ink – Be one of the first to order this crowd-funded device and support an entrepreneur who has made a perfectly “hackable” writerdeck with e-paper and other unique features. Can be purchased on CrowdSupply. $229.00
- MicroJournal – Portable and colorful writerdeck thoughtfully and elegantly designed by up-and-coming innovator in Italy. Can be purchased on Tindie. $179.00
What Single-Purpose or Low-Tech devices do you find useful in your work or hobbies? What other ways have you dedicated time and space to focused activity? How has this allowed you to be more creative or innovative? I would love to hear your thoughts!
Reach out to me at Excellence@flatterinc.com to connect!
