Many people still believe that creativity is a gift, something people have or don’t, but the good news is that creativity isn’t something you create; it’s a process and a skill that can be learned and developed over time.
Creativity — the ability to come up with novel and valuable ideas — is a skill anyone can learn, just like a foreign language.
Saying that creativity is a state of being can no longer be an excuse to avoid thinking about creative ideas and solutions.
It’s OK if you’re lazy and want somebody else to do the creative thinking for you. But just say you’re lazy! Don’t say you cannot be creative.
The first step in boosting your creativity is to accept that you have inner creativity and that you can develop it and eventually master it. Everything will be easier from there.
In order to help you with this creativity-discovery process at work, I’ve compiled four tricks that will let you start on the right path:
Change the view
Sit at a different table, look at a different wall, and drink coffee in a different mug from time to time. Meet with your co-workers at a roadside café, bring something new to eat, listen to different music while doing the same routine tasks.
All these simple tricks can take you out of your comfort zone and bring about inspiration.
Mind the lights
Many studies suggest that people who work in places with ample natural light are 15% more creative. One of the reasons is that sunlight fosters superior creativity because it encourages a feeling of freedom.
Apart from boosting the immune system, daylight increases dopamine levels and lowers cortisol levels. This means that being in a naturally lit room can make you feel less anxious, happier and more productive. No one wants to work in a dimly lit room; it’s simply not inspiring!
Get bored
Yes, boredom can spark creativity. Many studies suggest that some of the best creative thoughts appear when we aren’t focused on anything in particular.
Boredom has traditionally been associated with a range of negative outcomes, both within the workplace and outside it. More recently, however, it has been suggested that boredom can have positive outcomes, one of which might be increased creativity.
Does being bored make us more creative?
Sandi Mann and Rebekah Cadman
University of Central Lancashire
So, just when we think we aren’t doing anything productive and we stop for a second, we can come up with amazing stories and ideas.
Colours everywhere
Colour influences productivity, creativity, and mood at work. Colourful spaces can make people feel more alive and connect with their inner child, leading them to be playful and adventurous. Yellow, for example, represents creativity, friendliness, optimism, and confidence. If you incorporate yellow elements in your working environment, you can stimulate positivity, creativity and happiness.
Apart from that, colours create visual interest and can help fight fatigue.
As you can see, creativity is heavily influenced by everything around us, even the most subtle things, and there are many tricks and changes you can do to your physical surroundings to help boost your creativity and that of the people working next to you.
I hope you can put these useful tricks into practice and start boosting your creativity to the fullest!
On the other hand, if you are lazy and want somebody else to do the creative thinking for your social media posts, blog articles or web content, I’d be more than happy to help. 😉
