Humans are naturally creative beings but we also have a tendency to get stuck – writers go months without putting a word on a page, artists stare for hours at a blank canvas and designers put off client meetings for days because they’re completely out of ideas.
And you don’t have to be working in an artistic field to feel blocked – we could all benefit from a little extra creativity in our lives to help us dream bigger, parent our children, communicate with our partners and generally live out our days to their highest possible potential.
Here are 10 easy ideas to inject a little creativity into your everyday life:
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10. Walk It Off
Getting out for some fresh air and exercise is one of the most sure-fire ways you can spark your creativity. Some of the greatest minds of our time including made sure to include a walk in their daily routine and Sigmund Freud, Steve Jobs and Charles Dickens all claimed to get their best ideas during their daily walk.
9. Get Wet
Ever notice how you tend to get your best ideas in the shower? The same can be true of doing the washing up or any other mindless task. When you’re occupied in this way with some kind of menial task, your brain becomes free to wander and creativity blossoms naturally. Water is also great at aiding relaxation which is another must for creative thinking.
8. Turn off the TV (and your phone, and your computer)
Multitasking is the scurge of the modern generation and it’s rare these days that you’ll see anyone just waiting for a bus, sitting in traffic, or even watching their children play without checking in on Facebook or Instagram. The problem with this is that we’ve grown accustomed to needing constant entertainment and we never get the chance to be bored anymore – boredom is a breeding ground for new ideas so if you’re in a creative rut try letting yourself be bored for a change.
7. Try a Change of Scenery
A change is as good as a rest and a simple change in your environment could be enough to trigger new ideas. If you work from home, try heading out to your local coffee shop for the day instead and seeing what new ideas pop into your head.
6. Burn the Midnight Oil or Get Up and Watch the Sun Rise
We may be more productive when we’re well rested but we’re more creative when we’re tired. Working in the middle of the night or as the sun comes up when the world is quiet and still can be inspiring and can trigger your brain into different thinking patterns.
5. Leave on a Jet Plane
There’s perhaps nothing so inspiring as travel. For thousands of years writers, artists, musicians and other creatives have been inspired by the sights, sounds and smells of new places. You don’t have to travel to an exotic location to be inspired – anywhere that you haven’t been before is sure to spark new thoughts and ideas.
4. Be a Socialite
Different people have different thoughts and opinions and can affect your thinking in an unlimited number of ways. Try to put yourself in situations where you can meet new people and keep a wide and varied circle of friends.
3. Mix Up Your Routine
Anything that breaks you out of your regular routine will take your brain off auto pilot and encourage new ideas. Even a very small change can be enough to cause change in your thinking patterns – try walking a different way home or cooking a meal you haven’t tried before.
2. Spend Time with Little People
Children are creative geniuses but by the time we reach high school age, most kids have lost the majority of their creative thinking skills. This obviously points to a problem with our school system but until we figure it out, you can gain back some of that creativity by spending time with kids. If you have children spend a few hours with them, watch them play and how they approach projects. If you don’t have kids, offer to babysit for a friend!
1.Give Up (For Now)
Sometimes a lack of creativity in solving a problem can just mean you’ve been looking at it too long. Take a break, get some sleep, come back to it tomorrow, and 9 times out of 10 you’ll be back with renewed enthusiasm. This is because your brain continues working on problems while you’re asleep and your dreams help you to come up with new ideas, even if you don’t remember them.
