Ways to Be More Creative

One of the reasons that being creative is so challenging is that we naturally drift toward the status quo. Shaking things up makes us uncomfortable and requires risk taking. Here are the 3 simple, non-threatening ways to nurture creativity so you can interfere with that drift.
1. Stop focusing. Make sure you have downtime.
This will be different for each person. For me it is meditating for 15 minutes in the morning, running for a mile at night, or doing yoga. For others it is knitting, driving, taking a long shower, staring out the window or washing the dishes. What it isn’t—focusing and concentrating on work or the problem at hand.
All of our thoughts, ideas and knowledge need an opportunity to shuffle around in our heads so that they can connect up in new ways. Making new connections is critical to creativity.
2. Wonder. Be Curious. Ask Questions.
Creative ideas often come in response to questions. When you are questioning the way things are you automatically interfere with the normal course of events. Ask “What if . . , Why isn’t it possible to . . . ? “Why don’t we. . . ? What does this mean?: Questions like these allow you to take imaginative leaps out of the ordinary and discover possibilities.
3. Hang out with smart, creative, thoughtful people.
One thing you can be sure of is that if you never get away from your desk and your own thoughts, you’ll fall into habitual thinking. Being exposed to people who challenge you; who ask you questions and can offer you a different perspective can give you the jolt you need to think different.
By Ilana Rabinowitz