In Summary
Get going. How can you foster your own creativity? Studies suggest that there are a myriad of ways you can tap into that inventive, innovative side of yourself writes .
Do you sometimes feel like you are surrounded by creative people musicians, writers, artists, builders, inventors-but have no muse of your own? Maybe you have said to yourself, “I’m not creative. It’s a personality thing and I’m just one of those logical left-brained folks.” Not true. We are all creative. Creativity lives within each and every one of us. We sell creativity, and ourselves, short when we believe that creative people are only those who can paint beautiful paintings, or perform in a symphony, or invent brilliant new technology. Creativity, at its essence, means coming up with new ideas, recognising new possibilities, and solving problems.
How can you foster your own creativity? Studies suggest that there are a myriad of ways you can tap into that inventive, innovative side of yourself. Try a few of these activities and see where they lead: Go for a walk. Getting off the couch and moving doesn’t just do your body good–it apparently gets your creative juices flowing as well. A 2014 study from researchers at Stanford University found that people who went for a walk significantly increased their creativity-what is called “divergent thinking” over people who just sat. This held true whether they were walking on a treadmill or outside, so it wasn’t just exposure to the great outdoors that stimulated more creative output. Get a hobby. You may think that you have to already be creative or talented to develop a hobby like cooking or painting or music. But a recent study found that people who engage in creative hobbies outside their job also have better problem solving skills on the job. So what if you’re never going to be a pastry chef?
Taking that cake decorating class might open up your mind in new and unexpected ways. According to the study’s author, organisational psychologist Kevin Eschleman, the participants described these hobbies as providing “self-expression and an opportunity to really discover something about themselves.” Daydream. Set time aside maybe even 10 minutes a day to let your mind wander, with no set destination. You may be surprised at where it goes and what you discover. Researchers from the University of California at Santa Barbara have found that daydreaming when you are consciously aware of what you are doing-called “meta-awareness” can help you find creative solutions to problems that have been stumping you. Embrace the mess. Conventional wisdom says that a neat work space is essential for productivity. But isn’t creativity unconventional? Researchers found that while a neat desk encourages “good behaviour” (like choosing an apple over candy),working at a messy desk promoted novel choices and stimulated new ideas. “Disorderly environments seem to inspire breaking free of tradition, which can produce fresh insights,” said the study’s lead author, psychological scientist Kathleen Vohs of the University of Minnesota. “Orderly environments, in contrast, encourage convention and playing it safe.” Work in a coffee shop. Too much or too little noise may hinder creativity, researchers have found–, a moderate hum of background noise may be “just right.”
In a series of brainstorming experiments published in theJournal of Consumer Research, scientists found that a light level of ambient noise-like you would find when you settle down with your laptop at a local coffee shop divergent thinking. But all of this research, taken together, supports the idea that we just have to be open to new ways to tap into the creativity that lies within us all.
– huffingtonpost.com
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