Are you stuck in a rut and want to become more creative? We’ve researched the best ways to get your creative juices flowing. Find out more here! Getting creative comes naturally to some, but it can be hard to get your creative juices flowing if you’re not hit by sudden inspiration. If you want to practice being more creative, don’t worry about feeling stuck! We’ve researched some of the best tips from experts to help you get back into the creative flow. Whether you need to get creative for work, school, or a personal project, follow these tips for some instant inspiration! Read on to explore your creativity.
How To Be More Creative In Daily Life Tips And Techniques 2023
Are you ready to be more creative day-to-day? Get rid of your creative block and learn how to be more creative with these daily tips!
Draw, Paint, Doodle, Or Engage In Other Creative Hobbies
A great way to embrace your inner innovation skills is to practice them daily. Think of your creative mind as a muscle, you need to flex it every day or you’ll lose it! Practice with a small creative task every day. This can be a short exercise if you don’t have much time, but it’s a great way to get your mind working creatively. Don’t give up and in time you’ll realize creative thinking starts to come easier to you. If you feel like you are struggling, try using habit trackers that will keep you motivated and help you stay on track.
Exercise
Many experts suggest that daily exercise sessions can be great for the mind. Working out can help you de-stress, and sleep better, and it helps you get more creative. Getting active is a great way to clear your mind of any thoughts that don’t serve you, allowing new divergent thoughts to take their place. There are so many mental and physical benefits to exercise and you don’t need to hit the gym every day – just a short walk will do. Make it part of your routine and watch your creative process grow.
Ask More Questions
Asking questions is a great way to learn more about the world. They say that curiosity killed the cat, but what it did was give him more creative ideas! A good way to embrace the world around you is to ask questions about everything – even if you think they sound silly. This strategy will help you keep learning and gathering new information. As you learn more about the world and the people in it, you’ll have more knowledge to play with. Learning more leads to more original ideas and gives you more creative potential. Something you once thought was simple and insignificant could cause a breakthrough and your next big idea.
Daydream
Some studies have shown a link between daydreaming and creativity. These sources found that the more you daydream, the more creative ideas you receive. If you actively take time to practice dreaming and being imaginative, this skill will become easier for you in the future. This challenges your brain to forget logic and think about things in a fun way, perfect for idea generation. Daydreaming and creativity mean different things to different people, however, this is definitely a method that will boost your creative thoughts when you practice them often.
Make It Visual
Visual tools are great for getting new ideas. If you need creativity for a project, try creating visual mood boards or colleges to get all your thoughts on paper visually. This will help you see your thoughts in a new light and it’s great for getting outside-of-the-box ideas. You could also watch TV and movies for new ideas. This doesn’t necessarily mean you can binge-watch Netflix instead of working, but watching critically acclaimed movies and indie films will show you alternative ways of thinking and creativity. You can take these ideas and apply them to your work. Visual stimulus is easy to remember and helps many students improve their creative work.
Take A Walk In Nature
It’s said that nature does have the ability to increase your creativity. When we are in nature, we are usually less stressed and focused on the present moment. If we are calmer and not worrying about the day-to-day stresses of life, it’s easier for us to focus on big ideas and creative topics. A daily walk in nature will boost your thoughts and creative brain thinking.
Declutter Your Space
Decluttering and creating a clear workspace is important for your frame of mind. If you try to work in a messy area, it’s more likely that you’ll feel stressed, unfocused, and even tired. When you clear the space and make it full of objects that make you happy, it’ll be a better environment for you to generate new ideas in. This is why minimalist design and comfortable chairs are popular for home offices – they make thinking much easier! Try to declutter and clean your space at least once a week to ensure you’re working in an optimal environment for a creative pursuit.
Watch A TED Talk Or Listen To A Podcast
TED talks are great for inspiration. No matter what topic you’re interested in, there’s always a relevant talk to help you find some new ideas. They’re also great at giving you some new perspective and can help you see both sides to a subject. Podcasts are another great way to spark creative thoughts. A podcast helps you learn more about a new subject, thus giving you new ideas to work with. If you ever need some inspiration a podcast or TED talk can help you get some new ideas, plus you can listen to them while on a walk – double creativity points!
Generate Lots Of Ideas, Fuse Ideas, And Make Something Out Of Your Great Ideas
If you need to make a lot of new ideas fast, you can use certain methods to generate them quickly. With methods like mind maps and lists, you can get thoughts out of your head as quickly as possible so that you don’t have any time to second guess them. You can then look back on these lists and pick through the good and bad or combine ideas for your project.
Build Your Creative Network
A great way to get consistent creative ideas is to surround yourself with other creatives! Whether you meet creatives in person and meet up for in-person collaboration sessions, or you follow creatives online for new ideas on your laptop, there are many ways to find others. One of the best ways to build your creative network is through social media apps like Instagram. These visual apps will keep your phone buzzing with new visual ideas and you’ll always have a source for new inspiration. Not only that but posting your work will help others!
How To Be More Creative In The Workplace Tips And Techniques
Some jobs require more creativity than others, but how do you keep up with a job that needs you to constantly create new ideas? Here are the best tips to generate creative ideas at work!
Document Everything, Take Photographs, Collect Things, And Keep Mementos
When you’re working in a fast-paced environment it’s important to keep track of the small ideas. Whenever you get inspiration, no matter how big or small, it’s important to note it down. You never know when this little idea will be important in the future!
Keep Your Phone At Arm’s Length
It’s no secret that smartphones and constant notifications are making our attention span smaller. If you’re constantly on your phone, your brain may not be getting enough time to slow down and process your thoughts. If you keep getting interrupted by apps and texts, you’ll be less likely to have a creative breakthrough.
Remember That Conformity Is The Enemy Of Creativity
Some suggest that conforming and keeping to the status quo will stifle your creative thoughts. When it comes to creating and conjuring up new ideas, you can’t follow what everyone else is doing! Take time to sit alone with your thoughts to avoid falling into the conformity trap.
Try Approaching The Project At An Unexpected Time
If you’re feeling stuck with a project, it could be helpful to try tackling it at a different time than you’re used to. For some, this may mean out-of-work hours, but it’s been proven that taking a problem into a new environment will help you tackle it differently. This also works when you change the environment you usually work in. Try brainstorming in a different area, like outside or at lunch, and you may find new ideas!
Run Regular Brainstorms
This tip will help you a lot, especially if you start documenting all of your thoughts – as mentioned previously. Great ideas don’t just fall out of the sky – if you practice idea generation daily with brainstorms you’ll be more likely to get rid of creative blocks and find a better creative flow.
How To Be More Creative In Art Tips And Techniques
Many expect artists to be natural creative geniuses, but everyone can experience creative block! If you need to know how to be more creative with art projects we’ve got some stellar tips! Read on to find out more!
Engage With Nature
Though taking walks in nature has been stated as a good way to be creative in daily life, it’s important to note how important nature can be when creating art. Look at the great artworks of many famous artists, many of them are focused on the natural world. Some are direct paintings of nature and some look at the world around us in an abstract sense, but either way, nature allows a new way of creative thinking. Try going for a walk without your phone or headphones, while you’re outside take a good look around. You don’t need to be in a grand national park or anywhere exotic to appreciate the world we live in! See if you can think about your art project differently.
Meditate
You may have heard of the terms “left brain and right brain”. These terms explain how each side of our brain controls different ways of thinking. The left side of our brain controls logic, rational thinking, and practical ideas. On the other hand, the right side of our brain controls conceptual, innovative, and imaginative ideas. When we try meditation, both minds become one and our creative thoughts share the same space as our more rational and conscious ideas. If you practice meditation, you can slowly learn to become more aware of these thoughts through mindfulness. This is a great way to improve our creative work and de-stress at the same time.
Start With A Morning Freewrite
Journaling has become very popular recently, but have you explored freewriting? Our mornings are precious and often dictate the theme of our whole day. Many experts suggest that you shouldn’t open your phone first thing, as social media and constant emails will distract you for the rest of the day. Instead of opening emails or messages in the morning, try doing a free write to boost your creative process. This is where you take a notebook and pen and just write anything that comes to mind. Freewriting should take place before you even open your laptop, as this will distract your thoughts and creative flow. This is an especially helpful trick for any writer that wants to get rid of writer’s block.
Listen To Music While You Work
Many studies have investigated the effect of music on our creativity. While this can differ from person to person, the research suggests that for many of us “happy music” (such as upbeat tunes or classical songs) can help with divergent thinking and creative tasks. Divergent thinking allows us to make unexpected links and also helps us to transform information – perfect for boosting creative work. Try working with music and see how you feel. Though many enjoy it, it’s often suggested to work whilst listening to background music or songs without lyrics as these can be a distraction. Some may not enjoy working with music and that’s okay too!
Unwind By Watching Funny Content
It can be hard to relax when you’re in the thick of a project, but the evidence does show that chilling out with some funny videos can do wonders for your mind. A creative task often takes up a lot of mental power, so when it comes to the end of your workday or after a long stint of working, it’s important to take time to let your mind relax. Funny content is proven to be the best to unwind with because laughter and joy are the best emotions to take your mind off stressful situations. After you’ve de-stressed, you’ll have better creative thinking skills and more energy to get to work again in a more creative way.
How To Be More Creative In Thinking And Writing Tips And Techniques
Writing and thinking take up a lot of mental energy. When you lose your creative inspiration, it can be hard to get back on track with a fresh idea. Here are a few good ways to get out of a creative rut when writing!
Be Curious About Everything
When you’re writing, whether it’s a novel or an informative article, you need to convey your ideas to the reader. A good way to improve this skill creatively is to get curious about the world we live in! Read more articles, books, and papers – even if they’re in a different subject or niche to your work. You never know what you can learn from other people’s work. Another way to get curious is to speak to people. While it may sound more appropriate to read, speaking to people boosts your creative skill in a new way. Often, the way we tell stories to each other can help you process ideas and in turn, will teach you to write better. It’s important to go out and get curious!
Create Your Own “Three Ifs”
The “Three Ifs” process helps you take an already existing idea and make it new. It often helps creatives turn an idea on its head and gives it a fresh perspective. While there isn’t one way to induce creative thinking, this is a great exercise for writers to try. When using the “Three Ifs” you should consider:
What could you change or improve about the concept for it to work in 10 years? What would you do if you had one million dollars to invest in the idea? What would happen if you change a dynamic attached to the idea? (e.g. social setting, system, or relationship).
These three abstract questions are a sure way to get you thinking creatively about your subject. Try brainstorming or mind-mapping answers to these and highlight your favorites.
Learn To Pitch Your Ideas
Pitching is an important skill, especially if you’re a creative writer. This is a skill that should be practiced often, not just for creativity purposes, but also to make sure you can communicate your ideas clearly! However, if you take the time to practice pitching your ideas, it will help you see them in a different light. It’s easy to get caught up in your own work, but pitching can help you take a step back and look at the idea from a new perspective. This is a great way to review your work, but it also helps boost new ideas and creative thoughts too.
Bounce Ideas Off Others
Your peers and coworkers are invaluable source of creative inspiration, but they’re also often forgotten! It can be stressful when you have writer’s block, but talking to friends and discussing ideas can help you get some advice to improve your novel idea. You never know who will give you your next big idea. You may get some new suggestions, but even pitching your idea and speaking it out loud will help you gain a new perspective on it. This is a similar tip to pitching, but it is proven that the best way to increase your understanding of an idea is to explain it to someone else. This will improve your knowledge of your creative project and it will open up your divergent thinking for new parallels or links too.
Embrace Constraints, Set Deadlines
Creativity and time pressure may seem like they’re counterintuitive to each other, but it’s more than possible to come up with great ideas while on a time limit. Deadlines make people nervous and stressed, but without them, many of us would keep procrastinating and the work would never become done. If you struggle with the pressure of one large deadline, it can be helpful to create your own “mini-deadlines” to break your workload up into chunks. This will be easier to navigate and less stressful, allowing your brain to be more relaxed and open to creative inspiration. When you have major deadlines, embrace them and use them to your benefit. Here are some of the most common questions about how to become more creative!
What are some creative hobby ideas?
A creative hobby can bring new creative ideas into your life and it takes the pressure off of being a creative genius at work. Great hobbies to embrace include journaling, drawing, knitting, gardening, cooking, and even exercising. Try practicing your hobby a couple of times per week and see how much more creative you are.
What creative jobs are in demand?
When people talk about the creative industry, many condemn it and say there isn’t much work – but this is far from the truth! According to the job website Monster, these are the most popular creative jobs right now: Art director, graphic designer, and PR director.
Conclusion
Being stuck in a creative rut isn’t nice, but there is a large range of tips and tricks to help you move back into your creative flow. You don’t need to be a natural creative to embrace new ideas, you just need to be enthusiastic and open to them! Hopefully, this article has inspired you to move forward and embrace your inner creativity. What tips work best for you? Let us know in the comments. About
