creativity | wellnessrounds

When I first started this blog, I really wanted to title it “Everything I wish someone had taught me about learning and practicing medicine when I was in training (and beyond)” … but that was a little wordy for the name of a website… hence “Wellness Rounds”.

Ten years is a long time for a blog. Teaching and thinking about how we live and move in the world (particularly as healers) is still a passion for me, but I have new tools and more time now that I have retired from the physical work of surgery (one never really stops being a surgeon, though… more on that later). I found myself agreeing with Neil Gaiman, as quoted recently on Cal Newport’s website – “I love blogging. I blog less now in the era of microblogging… I miss the days of just sort of feeling like you could create a community by talking in a sane and cheerful way to the world.”

He goes on to point out what all of us are experiencing – that more and more of us are leaving the world of microblogging on social media (Twitter, Bluesky, Facebook, etc) but feel a loss for the ways we have been connected by these platforms.

He then predicts the start of a new era of finding community online: “But it’s interesting because people are leaving (social media). You know, Twitter is over, yeah Twitter is done, Twitter’s… you stick a fork in, it’s definitely overdone. The new Twitters, like Threads and Blue sky… nothing is going to do what that thing once did. Facebook works but it doesn’t really work. So I think probably the era of blogging may return and maybe people will come and find you and find me again.”

Enter the idea of a commonplace book, POSSE, and reinventing how I communicate with my readers…

What is a commonplace book?

Wikipedia describes a commonplace book as “a way to compile knowledge, usually by writing information into books.” In physical form, it’s a notebook you use to write down quotes, ideas, often organized into subjects (which is what makes it different from a journal). It can also be a collection of index cards or other notes. One of the best examples of a modern approach to a commonplace book is the Bullet Journal (which is a simple approach to organizing information and tasks that so many people find helpful)

I knew in general about commonplace books, but hadn’t really thought about a website as an online commonplace book, until I read this post from Chris Aldrich: “Hello! I’m Chris. I use this website as my primary hub for online identity and communication. It’s also my online commonplace book.”

What is POSSE?

As described by Chris Aldrich, POSSE is one of the concepts put forth by the IndieWeb movement, a new philosophy of online publishing that decentralizes the big platforms like Twitter, Instagram, etc by Publishing (on you) Own Site, and Syndicating Elsewhere (i.e. POSSE).

In other words, post on your own website and then send it forth.

I’m sold on the idea of the IndieWeb and love the idea of a digital commonplace book as a creative way to care and share.

p.s. I’m going to simultaneously post on Substack, if that’s easier for you to access.

Sir William Osler was probably one of the most prolific, most loved and most respected physicians in American history. Osler is credited with the concept of journal clubs, with being responsible for bringing medical students onto the wards for “clinical clerkships” and for the structure of the modern medical residency. Osler is also famous for quotes about medicine and teaching medicine. But, for this post, I want to focus on something that recently caught my eye … his desk. Osler wrote the first definitive textbook of Internal Medicine in the United States, The Principles and Practice of Medicine. I can only assume that a lot of his writing took place at this desk:

Which made me look at my desk and think about desks in general. There are many of us, particularly in the era of the laptop computer, who use our desks as storage space. But maybe we are missing an opportunity. What if, instead of stacking things on our desks, we actually created a space that made it easy to study, read, think and be creative? Organizing your desk will unquestionably lead to being more productive. But being productive isn’t the only goal. It’s also important to create a space that makes you look forward to spending “non-productive” time thinking, dreaming and being creative.

Organizing a desk.

Keep pens, highlighters, etc that you use in a holder – but only the ones you use. Get rid of the pens that don’t really work, and the ones you don’t like.
Declutter the surface of the desk by hiding electronic wires, filing stacks of papers, etc
Keep a scratch notebook on the desk to replace scraps of paper. Use it for phone messages, ideas, etc.
Keep the surface clear of everything except what you are working on (and put it away when you are done)
Position your computer screen so it’s ergonomic

Personalizing a desk (and the space it lives in)

Make sure you have a great (and very comfortable) chair.
Get a really good light.
Make sure the area is quiet
Keep the area decluttered to decrease visual “stress”
If you listen to music when you work, get good speakers for your computer (or a good sound system)
Put things in the space that motivate you – art, photos, quotes, etc

Tips for an organized desk from Productivity501.com