Contents
- 1. Limit your choices
- 2. Don’t wait for inspiration
- 3. Focus not on the result, but on the ways to achieve it
- 4. Distance yourself from the creative project
- 5. Work in a coffee shop
- 6. Get Intense Exercise
- 7. Do your daily chores with the other hand.
- 8. Start at the end of the story
- 9. Appreciate random thoughts
- 10. Know Less, Guess More
- 11. Look around
- 12. Laugh out loud
- 13. Do something mindfully
- 14. … or unknowingly
For a few lucky people, creativity comes easily; most of us do not visit the muse often. Of course, no amount of training will turn an ordinary person into a naturally talented person, but there are some rather unexpected ways to increase creativity.
1. Limit your choices
Research shows that limiting choice stimulates creativity. If we deliberately close some of the opportunities for ourselves, we can better focus on the rest.
2. Don’t wait for inspiration
Many who consider themselves creative individuals do not try to create anything for a long time, stating that they are waiting for a spark of inspiration. It is important to remember that the spark often flashes already in the process of work. Athletes do not wait for inspiration to start training after a break. They just go and start training. It is important to learn patience and not worry about whether the result will be good.
3. Focus not on the result, but on the ways to achieve it
Imagine that you are lost and instead of following the turns on the road, you only think about your destination. Of course, you won’t get far. Often we are too caught up in thinking about the “masterpiece” we are about to create, without even thinking about what exactly needs to be done for this.
4. Distance yourself from the creative project
We have more creative solutions in our minds for tasks that we perceive to be distant in space or time. The greater the imaginary distance, the more we switch from concrete to abstract thinking, which helps to discover unexpected relationships between seemingly unrelated ideas.
5. Work in a coffee shop
Studies have shown that the level of background noise in a coffee shop (about 70 decibels) promotes creativity. Medium (but not low) noise levels increase the complexity of information processing, which activates abstract thinking and enhances creative productivity. Too loud noise, on the contrary, interferes.
6. Get Intense Exercise
Physical activity helps hidden (in the unconscious) ideas to emerge. Scientists are still investigating which type of exercise best promotes creativity, but Einstein is known to have come up with the theory of relativity while riding a bicycle.
7. Do your daily chores with the other hand.
If we use the other hand, we activate both hemispheres of the brain and spur creativity. An active exchange of information between the hemispheres leads to the fact that both emotions and thoughts become clearer and more understandable.
8. Start at the end of the story
Novelist Roxanne Robinson says she tried writing short stories by first coming up with an ending. This helped her overcome creative crises.
9. Appreciate random thoughts
Pictures or ideas that pop into your head from time to time often seem meaningless, but they can be the foundation of a creative breakthrough. It is useful to always have a notepad or voice recorder with you.
10. Know Less, Guess More
Today we are surrounded by information. It is useful to put aside the phone, laptop, tablet for a while and let the mind wander where it pleases. Do not peep answers to emerging questions on the Internet. Cut off from the usual sources of information, the brain can come up with something very unusual.
11. Look around
The constant pursuit of efficiency and the setting of clear goals can hinder the emergence of creative ideas. Try, walking along the street about your business, stop every minute and carefully look at everything that surrounds you. Unexpected sounds or sights can give a fresh perspective and help activate the thoughts hidden deep within.
12. Laugh out loud
Laughter stimulates activity in the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex, areas associated with creativity. It also uplifts the mood, which promotes creativity. You don’t have to look for something hilariously funny, the physical act of laughter itself is beneficial.
13. Do something mindfully
Meditation is a sure way to clear your mind, focus, and be in the present moment. It stimulates thinking (the brain visualizes the problem and offers several different solutions), which helps to solve creative problems.
14. … or unknowingly
When faced with a complex problem, we usually begin to think hard about the solution. Sometimes this creates a lot of unnecessary noise in the head, which only increases dissatisfaction without giving clear solutions. A break can be just as beneficial as taking a short break during exercise. When you return to your problem, new ideas may come up. You can, for example, take cards and play solitaire – this activity occupies the brain, but does not require extreme concentration.