Creativity isn’t something that can be forced.
Nevertheless, there are some practical ways to develop an environment or posture in life in which creativity may spontaneously come to life. Yes, intentionally spontaneous.
Here are some practices that I’ve come across that help to create spaces for creativity to arise:
- Write daily. This may feel like a chore to some people, but developing a discipline to write thoughts down for a few minutes each day can really spark creative ideas over the long run. Notetaking can really help flesh out ideas. Invest in a moleskin or journal and start writing. For me, blogging is one of the expressions of these times that I set aside.
- Visit open space. Whether it’s the beach, the mountains, or the local park, take frequent visits to view landscapes. I’ve found that visiting open space, even for a few minutes, helps me to gain better perspective. It’s a physical act of taking my focus off the immediate to appreciate things that are much larger in scope.
- Go outside of your expertise. Find gatherings outside of your discipline to attend. It may be a symposium, networking event, or webinar. Listening to people passionately share about their respective fields usually sparks new ideas in me whenever I attend.
- Have fun! It’s important to give yourself permission to go engage in something solely for pleasure. Turn off your cell phone and go do things that you enjoy (e.g., exercise, join a sports team, take a walk, watch a movie, etc.). Unwinding from the norm through things that fill you and give you energy is really important to your creativity. People definitely undervalue fun as a means for creativity.
- Develop friendships. I know this sounds self-evident, but many idea folks lack friends (outside of Facebook). Building local friendships will provide sanity as well as a great environment for unexpected moments of creativity. It takes time to develop friendship so be sure to make time for people who care about you.
What are some other ways you stay creative?
