Creativity is a skill that’s needed in many different aspects of life. It’s not just for artists and musicians; everyone can benefit from being creative. Whether you’re trying to come up with an idea for a business or you’re stuck on a problem at work, creativity can help you find a solution.
Being creative isn’t just about having good ideas, it’s also about making the most of the ideas you have. You need to be able to turn your ideas into something tangible, and you need to be able to execute them quickly and effectively.
In this article, we’re going to give you some tips on how to get your creative mind running. We’ll also give you some examples of how creativity can help you in different areas of your life.
Introduction: What is Creative Thought?
Before I tell you more about creativity, let’s talk about what you mean by the word “creative thought” in the meaning of this article. In this case, creative thought refers to the thought process that leads to the ability to create something new.
You can be creative, and your creative mind controlled as well as football if you’re sporty. That type of control can be a big help to you if you want to find a solution to a problem. The quickest way to do this is to get an idea from a book or a conversation. Creativity gives you new ideas that can in turn become a project.
According to the “Cross Cultural Creativity Study in Psychological Bulletin, “creativity comes in three forms: Formal, informal, and incremental. These are the three ways that people become more creative; it’s like picking from three different choices. It’s really that simple.
Creative Ideas: Breaking Blocks and Building Up Hope
It’s easy to let creativity get blocked by problems. Instead of lowering the barriers around yourself or complaining about creative problems, do something about them. The more you focus on the solution, the quicker the creative process kicks in.
The first thing to remember is that problems are made to be solved, and the more you can find a creative solution, the more hope you’ll be able to draw.
Maybe there’s a creative solution you can find?
How about creating a new idea of what problems could be fixed if all the parts were redesigned?
Maybe taking a look at design jobs gives you ideas for your current problem?
Look for creative people or creative services to get assistance with the problem?
How about rebranding your current business to gain interest and creative solutions?
Part of creativity is learning to look at a problem in a new way. Being creative can be tough sometimes, but the goal isn’t about pushing to completion. It’s about figuring out what your next step is. Maybe it’s time to start following your dream, or the one idea that always rolls around in your head but you don’t know how to execute. Stick with it until there’s a concrete idea that you can carry out. That’s when the ideas will come and the creative process will kick in.
How to Create a Creative Mindset for You and Your Kids
If you’re looking to foster creativity in a child, education needs to be amplifying; students need to be entertained. The trick is to avoid being creative by rote, and teaching and learning through movement and flexibility instead. Children need opportunities to explore and experiment with topics in order to become creative.
To that end, it’s important to allow extensive exploration and you need to allow and encourage student-directed projects and significant decision-making which can lead to meaningful outcomes for them. Schools which encourage these opportunities promote a more creative kid, and a culture of creativity in the home.
Tips for Creating Routines for Creative Thinking
The best way to get your creative thinking is to create structures that let you keep coming up with new ideas. There are many different ways to do this. If you’re struggling to find a sustainable way to improve creative thinking, here are a few possible solutions to try out:
1. Mindful observation.
Our ability to create begins with observing the world around us. How we perceive our surroundings and our environment fuels our creativity. This begins with mindful observation, or noticing and appreciating the details of your surroundings. By improving your observation skills, you’ll tap into your creative energy and discover nuances and details you hadn’t noticed before. This will open your mind to new possibilities and help you build a repertoire of experiences that can ignite innovation. Being observant means paying close attention to the world around you.
2. Change your environment.
Your drab surroundings may be zapping your inspiration. One easy hack to rekindle your creativity is to try changing your environment. Sometimes a bustling atmosphere can do the trick, so try packing up your laptop and find a restaurant, café or even a park setting where you can work for a while. In addition, set up your workspace in a way that is conducive to being creative. This will be highly personal based on your preferences, but make sure you have a dedicated space where you create, and only create, whether in a work office or in your home.
3. Recharge your curiosity.
Creativity thrives on curiosity. Our ability to wander and wonder, to dig into something and search for answers, ignites our creativity and fuels our innovative thoughts. But our thirst for knowledge can dwindle over time. We stop asking and begin accepting. Try sparking your imagination and creativity by asking questions. Start living a curiosity-driven life. What piques your interest? Delve into it; examine and research it. See where your line of thinking takes you. You may discover that you thrive on the process of discovery. The more you know, the more your mind is awakened, and the more you want to learn. This will open your mind to new possibilities others simply cannot see.
4. Try some blue sky thinking.
Blue sky thinking means to completely free your mind and brainstorm without limitations. It means moving beyond the standards, boundaries and thresholds that we have built for ourselves and generating ideas that aren’t bound by cost, effort, time, technology or resources. It means freeing yourself of constraints, assumptions and self-limiting beliefs. It’s a great way to ignite your creative engine and spur innovative thoughts. Start with a clear question with a specific goal. Remember, there are no bad ideas, so don’t berate yourself for a thought you might think is dumb. This is giving yourself the ability to think out of the box and explore ideas without dismissing them too quickly.
5. Take a creative stroll.
We all know a sedentary life is bad for your health, and it turns out exercise is also good for your creative thinking. Simply getting up and going for a walk will improve brain function and boost your creativity. One study found that walking benefited creative brainstorming and enhanced “divergent” or unconventional thinking. You can also turn a walk into an opportunity to practice mindful observation. Watch people in a crowded area. Take mental note of things that catch your eye and make a quick sketch when you get home. Or take photos along the way and create a weekly collage of the things you see. Try taking a “soundwalk,” in which you focus on the sounds around you and where they’re coming from.
6. Incorporate “design thinking” into your creative process.
Design thinking is an approach to practical and creative problem-solving. It starts with empathy – understanding what the end user wants, their constraints and desires. Because design thinking focuses on humans and understanding people’s needs, and then coming up with effective solutions to meet those needs, it can be applied to nearly any field. The design thinking process consists of 5 stages: empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test. It marries both creativity and critical-thinking skills. It requires designers to generate lots of ideas and prototype them, so they become comfortable with failure.
7. Practice creating.
Creativity is a skill, and it takes practice to fine-tune it. The act of creating something actually spurs your mind to be more creative. Even for the most creative and innovative people, about 10 percent of their work is natural talent and 90 percent is labor. You can cultivate your creativity by challenging yourself to create every day, in whatever way speaks to you, whether that is writing, drawing, photography, painting, dancing, singing or creating music. Push past your first ideas. We often focus on concepts we already know.
8. Build a creative portfolio that inspires you.
Crafting a portfolio of creative self-inspiring things will help you harness your inventive and unique ideas. If you enjoy drawing, try keeping a sketch pad or doodle book. Sit and write every day. If you sit in nature, try to collect small items or take pictures. Arrange the items or pictures in a journal or collage. Either write about what you see or what you find motivating and interesting in the universe. Whatever you find stimulating, exhilarating or inspiring, use it to help you rewire your brain.
Ways to Keep Your Brain Looking Young
The world around us proposes a lot of ways to cure signs of aging and boost brain power. The developments in modern science means that with a well balanced diet and enough rest, you can easily stop the brain from aging and keep it in its most potent form. The key here is to eat healthy food and getting plenty of rest. These are just a few ways to keep your brain feeling fresh and young.
To Sum it Up
Thinking about problems in an innovative way will help you find new and original solutions to problems. Creativity is a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. In order to kickstart your creativity, you need to work on it every day.
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