Have you ever sat in front of your computer and thought I need to write this blog or this article? Perhaps your challenge is in the graphic space, and you need to come up with a killer logo. Suddenly there is not an ounce of creativity in you. When these creative blocks hit, what do you do? Can you learn creativity? Can you boost your creativity?

Research shows that there are ways to strengthen our creative muscles. I will be looking at ten ways you can use to boost your creative thinking and increase creativity. I used to believe I didn’t have a creative bone in my body. Below are things that I have tried myself, and they certainly helped me to increase my creativity

1. Define what you want to do

For me, this is an essential part of the process. I first write down what the project is. I then follow that with the resources I will need and the time I have. Once that’s done, I break the project into smaller chunks or steps. The writing process helps me start thinking and develop an outline of what I want and need to do. Often, I panic when I have a large project in terms of a website I need to design or a blog post like this that I need to write. 

Panic is closely followed by overwhelm, and I then shut down and don’t do anything. As a result, I have wasted time and feel like a failure. So, taking some time to imagine what the project would look like if I finished it and how I would feel at the end is incredibly beneficial. I get to calm the panic, and as I write down each small step, the overwhelm slowly disappears. I feel a spark of creativity and creative solutions start to appear.

2. Brainstorm

When the creative barrier hits, what do you do? Instead of just thinking of ideas, write them down. This is a great way to brainstorm and generate many creative ideas. I will share one method I used to get my brain firing. Whatever task I am planning, the first thing I do is have what I call a brain dump. 

I just write down every idea that pops into my head, whether it be about the project or task. Getting all of the stuff out of my head helps me to clarify my idea and tie together sometimes seemingly random thoughts. I generally aim for two pages of writing with my brain dumps. 

But don’t get attached to the quantity. Brain dumps are a great way of getting ideas out. However, my brain is a little sneaky in that when I stop confronting the challenge head-on and just go on with something else, it spits ideas out left, right and centre. So I always keep my notebook near me, and as soon as the ideas start to fire off, I write them down.

3. Get inspired To Stimulate Your Creativity

We all know that most creativity is based on new experiences and inspiration. What better way than to get out of the house, do some exciting activities, and meet new people? Research has shown that we are more creative in groups of strangers, even if we do not know anyone.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to get away from your desk and do something else when you hit a creative block. If what you are doing isn’t working, do something else, do anything else. I will go and look at my plants. I am a fan of orchids and often take 5 minutes to check on them.

Sometimes I will spend time with my pets and have a play break. Going outside into nature and the fresh air can significantly stimulate and inspire your creativity. Go to a coffee shop, sit and watch the people around you, and look at beautiful art. Whatever you do, constantly look for these little things that inspire and rejuvenate you.

4. Take A Break And Unplug.

Some researchers in the Science of Creativity project claim that people will only be creative if they leave their regular routine. This might mean taking a few hours to reflect on your work or walking away from it and spending some time with a loved one. Dr Katarina Fritsch-Hofmann and Dr Remo Leccese recently worked out a creative model which explains why it is better to have a short break to stimulate your creativity.

The creative spike that comes after a break occurs because the brain becomes resistant to over-stimulation. Practice A considerable part of any creative endeavour is practice. You can only improve if you are put in front of situations where you need to work on your abilities.

5. Share Your Inspiration And New Ideas

You need to be able to see how other people have done it. Find out the origin of an idea and trace it backwards. Nothing is more frustrating than seeing someone post something extraordinary, and you want to go and re-create it. Then you are stuck, and you can never go back. So keep your eyes peeled; this is a sure-fire way to see how other people have taken an idea. Write with your eyes. It is the easiest way to get your creative juices flowing.

Not only will you get your ideas out of your head into the paper, but you are being physically engaged. I would recommend at least writing 100 words a day but start small. Start by writing 50 or even 5 words; if you can keep that up for two or three days, that is a good start. One practice that has benefitted me immensely is to have a gratitude journal, first thing in the morning, I write about all the things I am grateful for.

Before I go to sleep, I reflect on my day and run through all the things I am grateful for in my head. If you have someone close to you or a coach, share your ideas with them, and ask for feedback. With some tweaking, a good idea can turn into brilliant ideas.

6. Use experts

Find out the difference between a good and bad design and share it with people in the industry. Most have this one thought process “why did you do that?” If they share their thoughts with you, it’s like you can use their input to improve your work and show your work to people who are experts.

Up your game, see what others who are successful in your industry are doing, and try to find out how and what they do. Study the work of other creatives. Not only will it enrich your own skill set, but it will also show you ways that you can improve your own work.

Search for inspiration everywhere. With the internet and smartphones, this isn’t hard to do. And don’t be scared to ask for advice; you will be amazed at the number of people who are happy to give you advice.

7. Get a good night’s sleep

A good night’s sleep gives you the energy to work well the next day. Consistent sleep patterns will cause your creative juices to flow. You will be ready to put yourself out there. Also, sleep deprivation may cause your creative habits to vanish. As you get older, your body needs more energy. If you don’t get the hours of sleep you need, you will not have the ability to think clearly or be creative.

If I am struggling with creativity, what I often do is before I go to sleep, I spend some time thinking about the problem or challenge, and then I let it go and trust my subconscious mind to come up with the solution. More often than not, I will wake up in the morning, and the answer will pop into my head.

8. Get a change of scenery

As the man said: Go to a beach, a spa, a park, take a walk, explore a different neighbourhood. Do something that will shake up your inner creativity and make your mind work differently. A walk in the park will allow you to wander aimlessly, observe and think of creative ways to approach an issue. Think outside the box, and see if there is another way of approaching a problem. Create some new music. Find an instrument and start strumming it; you could even learn to play it!

When you begin to explore your creativity, you can unleash there is an incredible power to be found in creating something different. Find a source of inspiration and create something extraordinary. It doesn’t have to be original, but remember there are a million ways to mix and match, so no two songs are the same.

9. Use Your Hands And Find Something You Love

Touching objects that excite you is a form of “what if”. So try moving your hands all over a piece of paper and see what happens. Feel the textures on your fingers, especially if there is more than one texture. Notice your hands on the paper; notice what is in the paper. What is the texture like, and what does it look like? How can you creatively use this sensation? Perhaps you need to start your own little notebook of textures you are intrigued by.

You can use your hands to increase your creativity, simple drawing, painting, and working with clay. You don’t have to create masterpieces; just open up and have fun. When my hands are busy with some other task, my brain shifts into freewheel mode and the ideas and inspiration just shows up.

10. Dream and Doodle, Consider Alternatives

Take some time out of your day, and make sure you have a pen and paper handy. Then sit back, take a couple of deep breaths and start to dream and imagine what you would do if you already had the answer to your creative challenge. Make notes and draw some doodles on the page. If you are into mind mapping, even better. After just a few minutes in this relaxed nonjudgemental space, you will be amazed at how creativity flows naturally. As I mentioned, I call this getting out of our own way.

Conclusion

These are just some ways to boost your creativity. For me, the one thing that has helped the most is getting out of my own way. I used to sit for hours staring at my screen, getting increasingly stressed and worked up. Nothing kills creativity more than being in an unresourceful state of mind. I still follow the tips I have shared above, and my creativity has improved tremendously. Creativity is like a muscle; it needs to be exercised. After all, I had to write this article and had no idea where to start.

I hope this helps, and I would love to see your comments and thoughts on the creative process.

Until next time,

Keep On Keepin On

D