8 Ways to Boost Your Creativity
Einstein took breaks from his work to play the violin. Other creative thinkers went for a long walk to come up with ideas.
You can do whatever supports your creativity, whether it is experiencing something exciting, playing an instrument, singing under the shower, or being surrounded by nature.
Discvover different ways to tap into your creativity and come up with ideas. This can happen while having fun and exploring new ways of thinking.
And then there is that unexpected moment when we’re able to see something differently.
The good news is, that creativity is a skill you can develop over time.
With practice and persistence, but most importantly dedication and intentionality.
Creativity thrives with ongoing exploration and continuous learning.
But how do you boost your creative powers? Read on to find out!
1. Master the Basics
First and foremost, you need to master the basics. Get to know your craft and the fundamentals of your field of interest.
Whether that’s the craft of storytelling or the principles of design, make sure you understand the basics, the ins and outs.
The more you understand the basics, the more easily you’ll be able to apply that knowledge to new and creative ways of using it to solve problems.
Learning the basics doesn’t have to be tedious. It can be fun! You can make it into a game or a challenge, or even make it into a creative exercise.
For example, to practice storytelling, start writing short stories about what is going on in your life, maybe sometimes just thoughts you have about moments in everyday life.
Keep the story short and entertaining, and send it to some of your closest friends. See what happens, and with their reaction, you can figure out what is working well for you.
The more familiar you are with it, the easier it will be to tap into your creativity.
2. Meet with People Who Make you Feel Creative
One of the best ways to boost your creativity is to meet with people who make you feel creative. This can be friends, family members, mentors, or even people on social media whose work you look up to.
A great source of inspiration can be literature. Follow accounts on social media, which select excerpts from the writings of great philosophers and modern writers.
You might dive into the world of poetry and literature, written by creative minds throughout centuries, they are full of wisdom and make you change your perspective.
But also, when you’re around people who make you feel creative, you’ll notice that you’ll start to make creativity a part of your own life, as well!
And if you’re feeling extra creative, try jotting down your thoughts and ideas right then.
You never know what ideas you have around people who make you feel creative.
3. Doodle or Sketch as a Way to Find Ideas
If you’re feeling blocked, try doodling as a way to explore and find your ideas.
Grab your notebook and doodle whatever comes to mind.
Doodle or sketch until your ideas start to flow.
If you’re in a group setting and you find that you’re having trouble coming up with ideas, try doodling.
This seems simple, but it can boost your creativity to draw, and it doesn’t matter what you are drawing in the first place.
It is the activity itself that activates neural connections that contribute to your creative thinking abilities. This was revealed by a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) in 2018.
So, if you’re feeling stuck, try doodling or sketching to activate your creative powers.
Both, doodling and sketching, are great ways to allow your mind to explore freely without having to censor or edit any ideas that come up.
4. Use Technology to Discover and Connect Ideas
Another way to boost your creativity is to use technology to help you discover and connect ideas.
There are several apps, websites, and other tools out there that can help you explore creative solutions to your problems or come up with innovative ideas.
A great way is digital journaling as it helps you clear your mind, explore your thoughts, and find more ideas.
Related Article: Read more about how to start digital journaling and which app to use in my digital journaling starter guide.
Try using one or two different apps or websites to help you discover new ways of looking at things or to spark new ideas.
Here are some useful apps:
ClickUp is an all-in-one productivity platform for teams of any size to centralize their work and collaborate on new ideas.
Miro is a collaborative digital whiteboard software for remote teams to create mind maps, org charts, and roadmaps on a single, infinite canvas.
MindMeister is a mind-mapping tool to organize your ideas and boost your creativity in brainstorming sessions.
As playing an instrument can help to develop ideas and activate creative thinking, try listening to different music — that can help you tap into your creative side as well.
5. Go for a Walk to Get Ideas
Did you know that walking can boost your creativity? It’s true!
Friedrich Nietzsche, the famous philosopher, once wrote, “All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.”
Charles Dickens and Aldous Huxley, are just two great thinkers who used long walks as a stimulation for creativity.
Walking can not only help you to be more creative, it makes you happier, and more focused.
If you’ve been feeling a bit stuck or like your creativity is starting to wane, taking a walk can help to clear your head and get into your creative thinking.
So, consider going for a walk outside to help you to be more creative.
A lot of research shows that being outside can help you. The sights, sounds, smells, and even temperature of being outside can help you to think differently.
6. Challenge Your Thinking
Reading something that challenges your thinking will boost your creativity. You can read something that’s out of your comfort zone.
Walk into a bookstore and just grab a book that catches your attention. Read through it for a while.
You don’t always have to finish the book if it doesn’t inspire you,
But just reading different stories, diving into contrasting perspectives on topics you usually don’t read, will spark new ideas, connections, and insights.
Pick up a new book and challenge your thinking.
7. Start Without Expectations
One of the best ways to boost your creative thinking is to commit to discovery by starting without any expectations.
Begin with an open mind and heart, and see where your creativity goes.
An interesting experiment by Dr. George Land, which was based on a test originally developed to measure the creative potential of NASA’s scientists and engineers, revealed that we’re almost all born as creative geniuses.
The same test with 1600 schoolchildren between the ages of 4 and 5 showed that 98% of the children fell into the genius level.
This number decreased to 2% when adults were tested. Our education system diminishes our creative potential over time.
But there is hope, according to Dr. Land, we all can be in that 98% (Forbes) if we want to.
Leaders could avoid hindering creativity within their teams and instead nourish their creative potential by offering ways to activate creative thinking.
8. Discover Your Passion
Now that we know, we can all be creative geniuses, we can go and discover our passions to boost our creativity naturally and playfully.
There are many reasons why following your passion can also lead you to success. (Entrepreneur)
One is that even difficult times won’t stop you when pursuing your passion. You will have the motivation and energy to continue with what you do until you reach your goals.
For example, if you’re talented in playing an instrument, drawing, writing, or anything else, you can work on your talent, master your craft, and grow from it creatively.
Begin with something you know you’re talented in, or you are passionate about, something that excites you inspires, and drives you.
Start with what gets your creativity flowing and the rest will come naturally.
As you can see, there are several ways you can boost your creativity — it’s all about finding something that inspires you and finding ways to tap into that inspiration.
Sources:
Forbes - How To Unleash Your Creative Genius At Work
Entrepreneur - 4 reasons following your passion leads you to success