Who doesn’t need a creativity boost?
The day I wrote this article I walked one of my neighborhood routes early in the morning – but I walked in the reverse direction. Over the weekend I picked up a paintbrush for the first time in decades and dabbled in some acrylics on paper.
We all get stuck in a rut at times. With the ongoing pandemic and related stress and challenge, limited ability to socialize and travel – our creativity may be waning.
The following tips can boost your creativity for problem-solving, for generating new ideas and for taking a fresh look at your work. Try a few of these for just a week or two and see what happens. These activities might boost your mood, too!
1. Mix things up. We’ve all been through a lot of change already – but make a simple change or two in your daily routine. If you exercise in the morning, try exercise in the evening. If you always watch one television news broadcast, switch to a different channel.
2. Exercise. That’s good for so many reasons. If you routinely exercise doing one activity, try something new. Yoga classes, dance classes and other workouts are available online free of charge. Find an exercise buddy to create a social experience.
3. Take a different route. If you regularly walk, cycle or drive the same routes each day, try a different route and notice things you don’t normally see. Or, follow a familiar route but do it in reverse and embrace a new perspective.
4. Stimulate your sense of smell. Enjoy a fragrant candle, a new body lotion or after shave, or potpourri.
5. Go outside. Let nature nurture you as you feel the breeze and the sun. Drink in the sights of some flowers and trees.
6. Augment your menu.Try a new food item you’ve never eaten. Better yet, use it in a new recipe. Look for watermelon radishes or mango nectarines at the farmer’s market, if those are unfamiliar.
7. Phone a friend. Make a call to someone you haven’t seen in a while. Connect for just 10-15 minutes of conversation and caring.
8. Do some brainstorming. Several times a week, take a few minutes to create a list of 10 things: 10 places you want to visit, 10 favorite foods, 10 favorite movies, 10 favorite songs, 10 childhood memories. Set a timer to do this in three minutes and work quickly.
9. Play a game or do a puzzle. Do something just for fun that involves a challenge. Crossword puzzles count!
10. Learn something new. This may sound like a tip that adds more stress to your day, but the objective here is to break your routine and expand your thinking. Learn how to crochet, learn to grow your own vegetables, learn how to play tennis, learn the words to a new song or memorize a poem.
11. Dabble in a hobby. This could be something new or one you haven’t enjoyed for some time – gardening, painting, woodworking, needlework.
12. Declutter. Just reorganizing your office, your closet or the bathroom cabinets can give you a sense of control and make space literally – and figuratively – for new ideas.
13. Meditate. It may seem counter-intuitive to stimulate your creativity by quieting your nervous system, but 10-15 minutes of meditation can leave you feeling refreshed mentally and physically.
14. Relax. Give yourself some time off to do nothing. Enjoy a day at the beach or an at-home spa day to pamper yourself.
15. Call us. Let The Activ Consulting Group spur your creativity as a thought partner. We’re ready when you are.
For more tips and exercises to stimulate your creativity, join our upcoming webinar offered free of charge. Email [email protected] to let us know you’re interested, and we’ll provide more information.