How to develop creativity

9 Ways to Dramatically Improve Your Creativity

The more you exercise you creativity, the stronger it gets.

Creativity is like a muscle. It must be stretched, challenged, and occasionally pushed past its comfort zone.

In a previous column, I shared nine ways you can become more creative in just 10 minutes. I’ve also shared four must-watch TED talks on creativity in business.

Now it’s time to stretch your creative muscles again.

Here are nine ways you can dramatically improve your creativity.

1. Learn Through Collaboration

Curiosity will lead you to creativity.

Andrew Ng, formerly of Google and now of Baidu, is one who doesn’t believe innovation is due to unpredictable flashes of genius. Rather, he said you can become more creative and innovative systematically.

«In my own life, I found that whenever I wasn’t sure what to do next, I would go and learn a lot, read a lot, talk to experts. I don’t know how the human brain works but it’s almost magical: when you read enough or talk to enough experts, when you have enough inputs, new ideas start appearing.»

Indeed, collaborating with and learning from others may be just what you need to give your creativity a boost.

2. Do Something You Love

Stuck for ideas? Not sure what to do? Your life needs some balance to ensure your creativity doesn’t suffer.

In a letter to his son, Albert Einstein provided a great bit of fatherly insight when addressing his son’s interest in playing the piano that is applicable to losing yourself in the creative process: do something that pleases you.

«That is the way to learn the most, that when you are doing something with such enjoyment that you don’t notice that the time passes,» Einstein wrote. «I am sometimes so wrapped up in my work that I forget about the noon meal.»

Love and creativity are intertwined. A hobby, such as playing an instrument, running, or collecting memorabilia, can help you relax and fight stress while giving your creativity a boost.

3. Find Inspiration From Other Industries

Your next idea won’t come from copying what a competitor has already done. So look for innovation in different industries and niches.

Research what businesses are dominating. Why

What businesses are you most loyal to? Why?

How can you transfer what worked for businesses outside your industry to your own market? Maybe you can improve on these ideas.

Taking inspiration from other industries is a great way to boost your own creativity.

4. Unplug (Or Just Do Nothing)

As Alan Cohen once wrote, «There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.»

Sometimes your best ideas will come when you’re not wracking your brain trying to come up with the next great idea.

It could be while you’re sleeping. A good night of rest will help you be more productive and creative.

It could be while your mind wanders in the shower that you get a great idea.

Maybe your next innovative idea will come while you’re driving, exercising, hiking, shopping, sitting on an airplane, or watching the sunset.

If your creativity is lacking, unplug. Relax. And let your brain do its magic.

5. Walk

The average person sits between 7 and 15 hours every day.

That’s terrible for your health and your mood, which means it can be terrible for your creativity.

Stanford research has indicated that walking improves creative thinking. In a follow-up study, HBR found that people who take part in walking meetings are more creative and engaged.

Priceline Group CEO Darren Huston, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Western Union Co. CEO Hikmet Ersek, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner, and scores of other business leaders and entrepreneurs regularly have walking meetings.

While walking during work won’t solve our national sitting crisis, it’s a step in the right direction.

6. Set the Right Mood

A lack of ideas or being unable to solve a problem can be extremely frustrating.

Unless you value complete silence, music can be the thing to give your mood, and your creativity, a boost.

Steve Jobs used music to change his moods and keep himself creative.

It could work for you, too.

7. Use the Six Thinking Hats Technique

Using this process could help you look at things in a different way. It gives you the option to look at things in a «just the facts» manner (white hat); where things could go wrong (black hat); and possibilities, alternatives, and new ideas (green hat), for example.

By looking at a problem from several unique perspectives may be just what you need to find a solution.

8. Ask For Advice or Feedback

Sometimes you’re too close to a problem to figure out a creative solution all by yourself.

Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness. Ask for help and advice from friends, peers, and people from your personal network that you trust and respect. Every person has a unique skill set, experience, and knowledge.

A fresh outside perspective, or three, or five, may be just what you need.

Even if you don’t use their advice, it may spark some new, creative thinking that will get you where you need to go.

9. Pick a Terrible Idea

Step away from whatever idea you’re stuck on for a few minutes.

What’s the most useless idea you can imagine? Make a list of the worst ideas you can think up.

Now the real challenge to stretch your creativity: what are the best features of these terrible idea

Perhaps looking at these terrible ideas will spark something creative that you can transfer over to your excellent idea.

Bonus Ideas to Stimulate Your Creativity

Check out this infographic for some more ways to get your creative juices flowing.

How to Be More Creative

Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author and educational consultant focused on helping students learn about psychology.

Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She’s also a psychotherapist, the author of the bestselling book «13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do,» and the host of The Verywell Mind Podcast.

Creativity is all about finding new ways of solving problems and approaching situations. This isn’t a skill restricted to artists, musicians or writers; it is a useful skill for people from all walks of life. If you’ve ever wanted to boost your creativity, these tips can help.

What Is Creativity?

Creativity is the ability to come up with or recognize ideas to solve problems, communicate with others, or entertain.

Commit Yourself to Creativity

The first step to increasing creativity is to devote yourself to developing your creative abilities. Do not put off your efforts. Set goals, enlist the help of others, and put aside time each day to develop your skills. For example, if you are interested in painting, schedule time regularly to learn and practice your skills.

Become an Expert

One of the best ways to develop creativity is to become an expert in this area. By having a rich understanding of the topic, you will be better able to think of novel or innovative solutions to problems. One way to develop expertise is by reading about creative people and listening to them speak.

Reward Your Curiosity

One common roadblock to developing creativity is the sense that curiosity is an indulgence. Rather than reprimanding yourself for following an internet rabbit hole, reward yourself when you are curious about something. Give yourself the opportunity and the time to explore new topics.

Rewarding yourself is important, but developing intrinsic motivation is also crucial. Sometimes, the true reward of creativity is the process itself, not the product.

Take Risks

When it comes to building your creative skills, you must be willing to take risks to advance your abilities. Although your efforts may not lead to success every time, you will still be boosting your creative talents and building skills that will serve you well in the future.

For example, sharing your work in a creative writing course might feel intimidating. But the critique you receive from classmates and teachers can be invaluable.

Build Your Confidence

Insecurity in your abilities can suppress creativity, which is why it is important to build confidence. Note your progress, commend your efforts, and always be on the lookout for ways to reward your creativity.

Make Time for Creativity

You won’t be able to develop your creative talents if you don’t make time for them. Schedule some time each week to concentrate on some type of creative project.

Overcome a Negative Attitude

Focus on eliminating negative thoughts or self-criticisms that may impair your ability to develop strong creative skills. Recognize these as roadblocks and work to overcome them.

Fight Fear of Failure

The fear that you might make a mistake or fail in your efforts can paralyze progress. Whenever you find yourself harboring such feelings, remind yourself that mistakes are simply part of the process. While you may occasionally stumble on your path to creativity, you will eventually reach your goals.

Brainstorm New Ideas

Brainstorming is a common technique in both academic and professional settings, but it can also be a powerful tool for increasing creativity.

Start by suspending your judgment and self-criticism. Then start writing down related ideas and possible solutions. The goal is to generate as many ideas as possible in a relatively short span of time. Next, focus on clarifying and refining your ideas in order to arrive at the best possible choice.

Go Dark

As unlikely as this may seem, recent research points to dim light as a trigger for creativity. Darkness may free you from perceived constraints and encourage you to take creative risks that may seem intimidating in bright lighting.

Explore Multiple Solutions

The next time you approach a problem, try looking for a variety of solutions. Instead of simply going with the first idea you have, take the time to think of other possible ways to approach the situation. This simple activity is a great way to build both problem-solving and creative thinking skills.

Keep a Creativity Journal

Start keeping a journal to follow your creative process and track the ideas you produce. A journal is a great way to reflect back on what you have accomplished and look for other possible solutions. This journal can be used to save ideas that can later serve as future inspiration.

Use Mind Maps and Flow Charts

A mind map is a way to connect ideas and look for innovative answers to questions. Create a mind map by writing down a central topic or word. Next, link related terms or ideas around the central word. While similar to brainstorming, this technique allows for branching ideas and offers a very visual way of seeing how ideas are linked.

As you start to develop a new project, create a flow chart to track the project from start to finish. Look for various paths or sequences of events that might occur. A flow chart can help you visualize the final product, eliminate potential problems, and create unique solutions.

Challenge Yourself and Create Opportunities

Once you have developed some basic creative skills, it is important to continually challenge yourself to further advance your abilities. Look for more difficult approaches, try out new things, and avoid always returning to the same solutions you have used in the past.

In addition to challenging yourself, you also need to create your own opportunities for creativity. This might involve tackling a new project or finding new tools to use in your current projects.

Try the Six Hats Technique

The «six hats» technique involves looking at a problem from six differing perspectives. By doing this, you can produce more ideas than you might have had you only looked at the situation from one or two points of view.

Look for Inspiration

Never expect creativity to just happen. Look for new sources of inspiration that will give you fresh ideas and motivate you to generate unique answers to questions. Read a book, visit a museum, listen to your favorite music or engage in a lively debate with a friend.

Use whatever strategy or technique works best for you. Do you enjoy video games? Research indicates that playing video games can help increase your creativity.

Consider Alternative Scenarios

When approaching a problem, ask «what if. » questions to consider each possible scenario. If you take a specific approach, what will the outcome be?

By looking at these alternatives beforehand, you’ll be better able to develop creative solutions to problems.

Try the Snowball Technique

Have you ever noticed how one great idea often leads directly to another? You can take advantage of this by using a «snowball technique» when you are generating ideas for a project. If an idea isn’t appropriate for your current work, set it aside to work on later, or implement it in a future project.

A Guide To Developing Your Creativity

Archetypes, Four Steps & A Challenge To You

Do you believe creativity is innate and only found in those who pursue creative professions, like artists, architects and admen? Having spent the last six months advising one of New Zealand’s leading creative services firms I have come to see creativity differently. Creativity is not a skill exclusive to people in traditionally creative professions. It is not something you either have or you do not, and it is not a homogenous skill. I believe that creativity is a muscle that can and should be trained, and that being able to apply a creative lens is a key success factor in all careers.

Which kind of creative are you?

The Oxford Dictionary describes creativity as “the use of imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness.” This is a pretty broad description. To me, there are three kinds of creativity: intellectual/ cerebral, kinetic/ tangible, and emotional/ interpersonal. I think of them as three creative archetypes — the scientist, the artist, and the catalyst.

Cerebral/ intellectual creatives are our theorists and thought leaders. They are typically drawn to professions where the ability to synthesise facts, recognise patterns and develop hypotheses is important. They are our scientists, economists, and historians, etc. Kinetic/ tangible creatives are closer to what we traditionally view as creative people: our artists and craftspeople. Their paintings, bagels, toy trucks, and tables leave physical impressions on our world. Emotional/ interpersonal creatives develop deep understanding of people and are talented at identifying, eliciting, and managing emotions. They may be drawn to leadership, people development, and marketing. They are our inspirational politicians, psychologists, and admen. In reality, this is an oversimplified model. We all have our own unique blends of the three archetypes.

Success in most professions requires competency in more than one kind of creativity. Architects are a great example. An architect specialising in the health sector must use their cerebral/ intellectual creativity to be at the forefront of the key areas of medical research and development. After all, there is not much point designing hospitals with large nursing stations if 80% of patient care will be provided by AI-powered robots in 10 years. In addition, she must bring emotional/ interpersonal creativity to bear as she works with a team of architects and sub-contractors to design and build medical and care facilities that are uplifting for all who work, visit and live in them. Her projects will often run for five or more years and require the successful navigation of many challenges and opportunities presented by numerous stakeholders. To top off, she has to be a strong kinetic/ tangible creative who can differentiate herself, her firm, and her projects based on her design capability. As you can see, I have huge respect for architects!

It is critical for your success to identify which kinds of creativity your professional requires and to hone these. In the next section I will share four activities of creative people and tips to help you develop your own creativity.

Four steps to develop your creativity

Creativity can be trained and developed like any skill. Even people who have won the talent lottery at birth can become better with practice. The most creative people I know are those who work diligently to build their creative capabilities. How do they do this? They practice four activities:

Here are practical tips on each to help you integrate these activities into your life.

Become comfortable with the creative process

To succeed as a creative professional you need to be comfortable with the creative process. Some might argue that “creative process” is an oxymoron, but I disagree. Creativity is invariably a process. It may be a very simple process — a start, a “eureka!”, and an end — but it is generally a process of refinement. This clicked into place for me when the Managing Partner of my creative services client described the creative process as beginning with divergence, then forced by a milestone to converge, followed by a second stage of divergence, forced again to converge, and so on until the team reaches a final design.

This process involves a high degree of change and uncertainty, you cannot know what your output will look like at the first milestone, let alone at the end! To cope with so much ambiguity, especially when combined with stress, you need to learn and become familiar with your creative process. Ultimately, great creatives learn to “trust the process.”

Develop creative routines and habits

Successful creatives know that developing routines can strengthen their creative skills. They use these habits to gain fresh perspectives, expand their knowledge, and generate insights. Essentially, these relevant habits expand your potential “scope of ideas” from the illustration of the creative process above. Relevant activities can differ depending on the type of creativity you seek to develop and the professional field you work in.

Here are a few activities I do regularly to expand my intellectual creativity. During the week, while commuting and exercising, I listen to podcasts on business, technology, and history. I reserve time on Sundays for reading non-fiction (at the moment, Yuval Noah Harari’s Homo Deus and The Economist). These time efficient commitments arm me with a diverse, expanding, and contemporary knowledge base to draw on at work where I am part of a team resolving complex problems for clients, assessing innovations/ investments, and coming up with novel solutions. I keep a notebook handy for when my brain slips off into daydreaming and precious “Eureka!” moments strike. To develop my emotional and interpersonal creativity I meditate daily and aim to meet at least one interesting new person a week.

Embracing diversity is one of the most valuable things for aspiring creatives. You cannot just do more of the same thing day-in, day-out; leading creatives understand this. They create space for new ideas and connections flourish by pursuing hobbies that are not related to their profession because they recognise that fresh insights often come from interacting with diverse people and gaining an appreciation of wider perspectives. They spend time in different places and pursue new experiences. They challenge themselves to change the way they think.

Perhaps the most striking example of changing the way you think is Sylvester, a sixty year old American gentleman I met in Guatemala in 2015. Sylvester begun his career in military intelligence in Germany, eventually did a Masters degree and finally moved into finance, where he enjoyed incredible success. He attributed his wealth to “changing the way [his] brain works every ten years or so.” On one of his quests to change his brain, he spent a year studying with Shamans around North and South America. A year studying with Shamans! He spent time studying neurolinguistic-programming (NLP) and another year studying Spanish. He is, undoubtably, one of the most interesting people I have ever met.

Is a significant portion of your day spent dealing with noise, that is, activities that are not core to what you are trying to achieve? For most of us, the answer is “yes.” Noise comes in many forms, from responding to “urgent” emails, to getting pulled into non-essential meetings, and being constantly pestered by social media notifications on your phone. To allow your creativity to emerge, you must kill as much of the sources of noise in your life.

How do you go about killing noise? There are four things I have observed successful creatives doing to allow for more time to be creative. They prioritise effectively, learn to say “no”, reserve time for creative work, and minimise electronic distractions.

Taken together, the four steps of becoming comfortable with the creative process, developing creative routines and habits, embracing diversity, and killing the noise are mutually reinforcing activities you can take to significantly lift your creative capabilities and capacity. You just need to commit to giving them a go…

30 days of creativity: a challenge to you

Whatever kind of creative you are or aspire to be, committing to developing your creativity is a “no-lose” situation. Now you have learnt about the types of creativity and how you can develop yours, I challenge you to make simple changes in your life for the next month to develop your creative muscles:

Make it fun and tag a friend or two as a challenge for them to lift their creative game. I will also be committing to the same challenge and will spend at least 30min a day learning the guitar.

Developing Creativity

You can improve your creative ability by exercising it in the same way that you master memorising names or learning a new language.

Exercising the right side of your brain will inevitably develop your imagination and assist in developing creativity and creative thinking skills. Listed below are some ideas for exercising your creative ability, but a word of caution, they will only benefit you if you truly want to improve your creativity!:

1. Believe in your own capability

Our mind is an amazing machine and our belief system impacts on our capabilities ‘to do’ and learn. Telling ourselves that we are creative and have the capability to generate ideas, will ensure that we do not put any psychological barriers in the way of generating great ideas. The right side of our brain provides the capability to generate ideas, if we merely use and exercise it.

2. Identify your own ideas first

When you need to come up with ideas or solutions, try to avoid going to the creative people you may have tended to rely on in the past. Take time to come up with ideas and solutions yourself first. In this way, you will naturally develop your imagination.

Looking for more inspiration? Try our creativity and innovation training, available in the UK.

3. Interact with creative people

Creative people tend to have the power to see what might be and interacting with them will spark new ideas and ways of looking at things. Look for people who are fun to talk to and have a keen sense of interest in life. An individual who will force you to exercise your imagination, as you interact with them. Talking with a wide range of people from different disciplines, backgrounds, cultures and experiences will help you to see things from different perspectives and develop your imagination.

4. Associate with children

Pre-school-age children are the most ideal to mix with, as they generally use both sides of the brain although preferences do start to form at an early age. Their world is filled with fantasy and yours will be too, if you interact with them and explore their world and how they see simple, everyday things.

5. Play games, puzzles or physical sports

Certain games and puzzles can equip you with plenty of opportunity to flex your creative muscles. Games that force you to map out strategies and make moves that depend on what your opponent does. Games of chess and checkers are both good examples, as well as physical sports such as football, basketball and tennis – all of which provide creative exercise.

6. Focus on hobbies

Identify or use a current hobby to exercise your creativity. Hobbies such as painting, drawing or sculpture will obviously put your creative side to work. Any hobby where you need to design something from scratch will provide creative exercise, e.g. sewing, metalwork, woodwork, DIY. However, for those more scientifically inclined, technical hobbies can provide creative exercise, when designing or building something new, e.g. writing new computer programmes.

7. Actively travel

There’s no better way to broaden and refresh your outlook, than active travel. This means taking a real interest in the people, the culture of wherever you are travelling to. Capturing your travel with photographs, and reflecting on your experiences through those photographs, can inspire great ideas.

8. Selectively read

Reading selectively means choosing material that will exercise your imagination such as a good mystery or a short story. One way to exercise your imagination with short stories is to read the first half and make up your own ending. Cookbooks, repair manuals and self help guides can also be used for creative exercise if you take the ideas presented and improve them by adding, modifying or combining them with ideas of your own.

9. Reading actively

This means reading with a pencil in your hand and underlining the key passages as you go. Read slowly and take notes, taking time to reflect on what you have read, increasing the probability of generating new ideas. Create a mind map for example, as you read to develop your thinking.

10. Commence creative writing

You don’t have to be a published author to write. Writing short pieces on a subject that interests or concerns you is a great way to develop your creative thinking ability. You may then feel comfortable to let your imagination wander to write a short story.

11. Conclusion

Finding ways of developing your creativity through every day experiences is a great, time efficient way of exercising the right side of your brain. Once you practice this over a period of time, it will become much easier to tap into your “creative side”.

About the Author

Ways to Develop Your Creativity

According to cognitive psychologist Robert J. Sternberg, creativity can be broadly defined as “the process of producing something that is both original and worthwhile.” Creativity is all about finding new ways of solving problems and approaching situations. This isn’t a skill restricted to artists, musicians or writers; it is a useful skill for people from all walks of life. If you’ve ever wanted to boost your creativity, these tips can help.

Commit Yourself to Developing Your Creativity

The first step is to fully devote yourself to developing your creative abilities. Do not put off your efforts.

Set goals, enlist the help of others and put time aside each day to develop your skills.

Become an Expert

One of the best ways to develop creativity is to become an expert in that area.

By having a rich understanding of the topic, you will be better able to think of novel or innovative solutions to problems.

Reward Your Curiosity

One common roadblock to developing creativity is the sense that curiosity is an indulgence. Rather than reprimanding yourself, reward yourself when you are curious about something. Give yourself the opportunity to explore new topics.

While rewarding yourself is important, it is also important to develop intrinsic motivation. Sometimes, the true reward of creativity is the process itself, not the product.

Be Willing to Take Risks

When it comes to building your creative skills, you need to be willing to take risks in order to advance your abilities.

While your efforts may not lead to success every time, you will still be boosting your creative talents and building skills that will serve you well in the future.

Build Your Confidence

Insecurity in your abilities can suppress creativity, which is why it is important to build confidence. Make note of the progress you have made, commend your efforts, and always be on the lookout for ways to reward your creativity.

Make Time for Creativity

You won’t be able to develop your creative talents if you don’t make time for them. Schedule some time each week to concentrate on some type of creative project.

Overcome Negative Attitudes that Block Creativity

According to a 2006 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, positive moods can increase your ability to think creatively. According to Dr. Adam Anderson, senior author of the study, “If you are doing something that requires you be creative or be in a think tank, you want to be in a place with good mood.”

Focus on eliminating negative thoughts or self-criticisms that may impair your ability to develop strong creative skills.

Fight Your Fear of Failure

The fear that you might make a mistake or fail in your efforts can paralyze your progress. Whenever you find yourself harboring such feelings, remind yourself that mistakes are simply part of the process.

While you may occasionally stumble on your path to creativity, you will eventually reach your goals.

Brainstorm to Inspire New Ideas

Brainstorming is a common technique in both academic and professional settings, but it can also be a powerful tool for developing your creativity.

Start by suspending your judgment and self-criticism, then start writing down related ideas and possible solutions. The goal is to generate as many ideas as possible in a relatively short span of time. Next, focus on clarifying and refining your ideas in order to arrive at the best possible choice.

Realize That Most Problems Have Multiple Solutions

The next time you approach a problem, try looking for a variety of solutions. Instead of simply going with the first idea you have, take the time to think of other possible ways to approach the situation.

This simple activity is a great way to build both your problem-solving and creative thinking skills.

Keep a Creativity Journal

Start keeping a journal to follow your creative process and track the ideas you produce. A journal is a great way to reflect back on what you have accomplished and look for other possible solutions. This journal can be used to save ideas that can later serve as future inspiration.

Create a Mind Map and Flow Chart

A mind map is a great way to connect ideas and look for innovative answers to questions. Create a mind map by writing down a central topic or word. Next, link related terms or ideas around the central word. While similar to brainstorming, this technique allows for branching ideas and offers a very visual way of seeing how these ideas are linked.

As you start to develop a new project, create a flow chart to track the presentation of the project from start to finish. Look for various paths or sequences of events that might occur. A flow chart can help you visualize the final product, eliminate potential problems and create unique solutions.

Challenge Yourself and Create Opportunities for Creativity

Once you have developed some basic creative skills, it is important to continually challenge yourself in order to further advance your abilities. Look for more difficult approaches, try out new things and avoid always using the same solutions you have used in the past.

In addition to challenging yourself, you also need to create your own opportunities for creativity. This might involve tackling a new project or finding new tools to use in your current projects.

Try the “Six Hats” Technique

The “six hats” technique involves looking at a problem from six differing perspectives. By doing this, you can produce more ideas than you might have had you only looked at the situation from one or two points of view.

Look for Sources of Inspiration

Never expect creativity to just happen. Look for new sources of inspiration that will give you fresh ideas and motivate you to generate unique answers to questions.

Read a book, visit a museum, listen to your favorite music or engage in a lively debate with a friend. Utilize whatever strategy or technique works best for you.

Consider Alternative Scenarios

When approaching a problem, utilize “what if…” questions to consider each possible scenario. If you take a specific approach, what will the outcome be?

By looking at these alternatives beforehand, you’ll be better able to develop creative solutions to problems.

Try the Snowball Technique

Have you ever noticed how one great idea often leads directly to another? You can take advantage of this by utilizing a “snowball technique” when you are generating ideas for your project.

If the idea isn’t appropriate for your current work, set it aside to work on later or implement it in a future project.

To access your AWP EAP services, call 1-800-343-3822. Your EAP is here to help with family, work, health and legal issues. EAP Services are provided at no cost and are 100% confidential.

Alliance Work Partners is a professional service of Workers Assistance Program, Inc.
Copyright © 2019 Workers Assistance Program, Inc.