Creativity is usually defined as a person’s tendency to develop and identify ideas, possibilities, or alternatives to communicate, solve problems, and entertain themselves and others. To be creative, we need to be able to view things from different perspectives and generate new unique possibilities. This skill is often coupled with other thinking qualities, such as flexibility and the ability to enjoy the unknown, uncertain, and unpredictable.
Now, the latest research by UCLA Health scientists shows that highly creative people’s brains work differently from ordinary people’s. However, numerous studies also reveal that creativity can be taught and improved and that practically anyone can be trained to be creative.
So, if your creativity flow is stuck, below are five simple ways to give it a push. (Spoiler alert: waiting on your Muse for inspiration is not one of them.)
1. Meditate
Our everyday life is the top creativity killer. The pressure we feel at work, the stress from busy schedules, obligations coming from our family life — it all frustrates and restricts our minds. In such a tense mental state, there is hardly any space for imaginative ideas or creative solutions.
Meditation can help you calm your mind and find stillness and clarity. When we silence our thoughts, unwind, and relax, we access the natural state of freedom and flexibility. It’s how we set up conditions for creativity to surface.
Guided meditations focusing on creativity can be a perfect place to begin your journey. Although, if you’re new to meditation, it’s best to start by taking small steps rather than pushing yourself too hard. And don’t be discouraged if you find it difficult to let go and see your thoughts all over the place — it will get better the next time you try.
2. Play a Game
Remember how imaginative you were when you were a child, and your life revolved around the games you played?
Well, playing is as important to adults as it is to children. Besides entertainment and instant stress relief, playing games improves your imagination and stimulates your creativity, regardless of age.
So, if you’re feeling stuck, a board game with friends or an adventure with mysteries to solve may be just what you need to spark your creativity.
Puzzles are perfect for solo play. For example, you can use any string of letters and see how many words you can unscramble. Sometimes, just rearranging the order of letters can help you spot a few more solutions you haven’t yet thought of.
And isn’t that what creativity is all about?
3. Go for a Walk
A Stanford University research study has confirmed that walking improves creativity in real time and shortly after, leaving a residual creative boost. The best results were, of course, identified when researched participants were walking outside.
Walking exercises and refreshes your body, but it does wonders for your mind too.
We spend most of our time indoors. When we’re out, it’s often for some other purpose rather than connecting with the surroundings — we have errands to run or just walk to get to our destination.
So, if your creativity level is low, take a walk in nature for the pure sake of connecting with it and enjoying its beauty. It will reduce your stress levels, decrease your inhibitions, and inspire you.
4. Wear Six Hats
To boost your creativity, challenge your habitual thinking by trying a technique called Six Hats.
We owe this approach to a Maltese physician, philosopher, and psychologist Edvard de Bono, who developed it as a practical tool for solving everyday problems.
- Black hat: Wearing this hat, you use a critical, negative perspective. You assess risks and are cautious.
- Blue hat: When you put this hat on, you’re thinking broadly, concluding, and searching for the best solution.
- Green hat: Putting this hat on means trying to get out of the box, thinking creatively, and generating some alternative ideas.
- Red hat: You engage and consult your instinct and emotions with the red hat on. What do they tell you?
- White hat: Look at the situation objectively and gather all the facts and information you can find about the issue.
- Yellow hat: Approach the issue positively. What are the benefits of your idea? What is the added value?
The Six Hats technique will teach you to approach an issue from different angles and generate more ideas, boosting your decision-making skills and creativity.
5. Do What You Love
Let’s remember a quote from the famous French visual artist Henri Matisse on creativity:
“Don’t wait for inspiration. It comes while working.”
Nothing is more inspiring than doing what we love and find passion in.
So if you’re working on something and feel stuck, make time to engage in a passionate project to get your creative energy flowing.
The tips above will help you exercise your creativity muscle and get out of a rut.
