5 ways to build on creativity

Creative expression may come naturally to you, but maximizing your creative process can be a great way to keep those inspired juices flowing and boost the outcome of your efforts. Here are a few ways to stir up yours.   

Take up a new hobby. Learning something new pushes the brain’s neural network to forge new pathways, expanding its circuitry. So, pick up a new language, get into golf, write poetry or study the stars. Not only will you open yourself to new experiences, but you’ll also stretch your creative muscle.

My latest hobby is embroidery. I love its tactile, detailed-oriented process.
It's also fun to design and create something new.

Try a new approach. Following a regular routine can promote productivity but changing how you do what you do can inspire different ways of seeing the world. Find ways to work within a structured framework that’s outside your norm and see how your perspective widens.

Switch up your space. While you’re at it, make a few changes to your usual workspace, too. Reorganize your desk, move your studio’s pottery kiln to another corner, paint the walls of your home office or hang a new picture. Even small changes in your office, studio or workspace can shake up your view.     

Disconnect. Make a habit of spending time away from the everyday distractions of tech devices and others’ commentary to free your mind of the clutter that can inhibit creativity. Take a walk, listen to the birds, meditate, sit with a cup of tea, take out your yoga mat or simply wash the dishes. Give your busy mind a breather to make room for new insights.  

Break a sweat. Vigorous exercise is a great way to dissipate mental and emotional stresses and tensions that can build up in your body and block creative thinking. Balance brainstorming sessions with an invigorating run, hefty hike or workout video to release tensions and make way for heightened creativity.

Sources:

·         https://www.brainfacts.org/brain-anatomy-and-function/anatomy/2012/the-neuron

·         https://hbr.org/2013/06/boosting-creativity-through-co

·         https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/311870

·         https://www.americanmeditationsociety.org/meditation/benefits/

·         https://www.forbes.com/sites/deeppatel/2017/07/30/6-proven-ways-to-increase-your-creativity/#50ba49474295

 

Karen Maserjian Shan is a communications professional, editor and writer with an expertise in connecting people and businesses through written communications in print and digital platforms.