I have a rule – no clocks in the studio. Clocks are the enemy of flow. They are such an efficient communication device that even a glance at one tells me if I’m running early or late, ready for lunch or dinner. When I’m catching a train, this efficiency is important. When I’m making art, it’s a recipe for disruption.
Making art, for me, is a shortcut to flow – a state that takes me out of myself and gives me incredible focus. I can sometimes paint for 8 hours straight without a food break when I’m really enjoying the challenge of articulating the thing I can see in my head – when it’s just me and the work. But, when a clock is introduced, a cursory glance immediately brings me back to the commitments of the external world – lunchtimes and break times, chores like getting to the post office before it closes, or realising that it’s getting late and I should really wrap up.
Clocks are an invitation to put down tools and do something else – something more important (at least by the rest of the world’s standards). Yes, persistent flow states aren’t good for me either, and I’ve had to set alarm timers to ensure I remain hydrated and healthy. But, in a world of hyper-distraction and procrastination, keeping clocks out of the studio is one effective but meagre defence in the pursuit of the focus that’s required to make the best work I can.