Ten Surprising, Shocking and Strange Ways to Free Your Creativity
75% of people think they’re not living up to their creative potential.
60% of CEOs named creativity as the most important leadership quality.
You don’t have to come up with brand new ideas; just make new connections between existing things.
Unconscious restrictions, preconceptions and fear prevent your brain from working creativity. So here are 10 unusual ways to free your mind and unlock your creativity:
1. Question everything
“You get ideas when you ask yourself simple questions. The most important of the questions is just, What if…?”
Question everything around you and let your mind wander with the answers. They can lead to interesting places.
2. Doodle
Doodling activates neurological networks in your brain, encouraging you to think more creatively as well as increasing memory function, according to research.
Keep a notepad to hand for drawing on while you’re thinking, and encourage others to do the same in meetings.
3. Play
Google have built their head office around the idea that play encourages creativity – and they’re right.
Having fun switches the brain into an ideal mode for creative and insightful thought.
4. Take mini breaks
Give your brain a break!
Whether a game of Candy Crush or planning your weekend, little mental holidays keep your brain from getting overworked, which kills creativity.
5. Dim the lights
Research has shown that darkness creates a “feeling of being free from constraints” and “a risky, explorative processing style”.
In other words, being less visible makes you feel free to take risks.
6. Work tired
Working when you are physically tired can encourage your easily distracted mind to wander off into new ideas.
Plan your creative tasks for your low energy times of day.
7. Redecorate
Different studies have shown that the colours blue and green promote creative thought.
Perhaps the thoughts of grass and sky make you feel free from boundaries.
If you can’t redecorate your office, try adding some blue and green to your own workspace.
8. Move
Even better – actually get outside! Exercise stimulates creativity, and getting away from literal walls could help remove your mental ones.
Go for a walk if you’re hunting for ideas, or have walking meetings instead of sitting in the boardroom.
9. Get some noise
Silence helps you concentrate and loud noise is distracting, but moderate background noise is ideal for creative thinking.
The comfortable murmur of a coffee house is even available online at Coffitivity.
10. Enjoy a good drink
Don’t drink the coffee though! Research shows that while caffeine improves focus, a couple of alcoholic drinks are the thing for increasing creative performance, by reducing inhibitions.
Careful though – it also reduces concentration! So take this advice in moderation.
Resources:
Rupal Parekh, ‘Global Study: 75% of People Think They’re Not Living Up to Creative Potential’ at: http://adage.com/article/news/-study-75-living-creative-potential/234302/ (23 April 2012).
Austin Carr, ‘The most Important Leadership Quality for CEOS? Creativity’ at: http://fastcompany.com/1648943/most-important-leadership-quality-ceos-creativity (accessed 16 February 2015).
Neil Gaiman, ‘Where Do You Get Your Ideas?’ at: http://www.neilgaiman.com/p/Cool_Stuff/Essays/Essays_By_Neil_Gaiman/Where_do_you_ get_your_ideas%3F (accessed 16 February 2015).
Lisa Evans, ‘How Doodling Can Make You More Successful’ at: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/232273 (19 March 2014).
Gwen Moran, ‘Want More Creative and Productive Employees? Let Them Goof Off’ at: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226919 (19 June 2013).
Kate Taylor, ‘How to Be More Creative Wherever You Work’ at http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/232840 (4 April 2014).
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