Journal
As a blogger I always stumble upon lack of creativity. I used to just wait until it strikes me and hope that I’ll be ready to work. It wasn’t particularly efficient or productive. Now tho, instead of just waiting, I found a few tricks to waken up my brain and stay creative whenever I want.
Although I didn’t make all of these tips up nor all of them are a product of my personal experience, they are still helpful tools and I used to do them intuitively until I read more articles about creativity.
Here’s the list I’m trying to stay close to:
1. Doodle With Both Hands
Whenever you feel you need to work or create something, try doodling something specific with both of your hands (not at the same time, although it might work as well). Let it be childish drawing of a house and a tree under the light of sun. Start with the hand you don’t usually use for writing and drawing. It’ll wake up both parts of your brain.
2. Go For A Walk
Even Einstein used to say that long walks are good for brain and creativity. In his letter to one of his sons he wrote something like «Make a lot of walks to get healthy and don’t read that much, but save yourself some until you’re grown up». Recent studies have shown that walking is actually in positive correlation with creativity.
3. Learn Something New
It can be anything from a word from a dictionary or how to twist a pen. As long as you learn something, your brain will start to play with the new information combining it with the existing data, and that is how creativity works, I believe. You can start with learning a new song or an iPhone game app, for example.
4. Change Your Surrounding/Environment
Changing environment is a powerful tool to kickstart creative mood. Just try it yourself, choose wisely though - different tasks may be suitable only for certain surroundings. I personally tend to look for quiet places, but not home.
5. Don’t Sleep
Yes, I said don’t sleep. The thing I’ve learnt about myself is that my brain tends to loosen the thoughts most when it’s tired. Just try it. My friends know for sure, if I don’t sleep one night, I tend to not stop talking and make very funny jokes the following day.
6. Try Spending A Day Without A Thing You Think You Can’t Live Without
It can be your smartphone. We all got used to our mobile "life assistants» aka iOS and Android devices. Try living a day without it, challenge yourself and see if you can do it. You’d have to tell important people how and when can they contact you, especially in the case of emergency. If you’re active on social networks, will your friends and followers notice? Nobody knows
7. Get Inspired, so that the 'Creative You' Can Wake Up and Shine
Sometimes all you need is to get inspired to create something... anything, really. So find a few inspirational videos for your industry and let it do the trick.
8. Get Social and/or Isolate Yourself from People for a While.
You have to be objective about it. You may seem crazy, make sure you only seem and not become one. Socialising and then isolating from people may show you incredible results. Can’t stress too much about how both things affect your brain activity, you just have to try it out.
Bonus:
- make lists
- carry a notebook everywhere
- try freewriting
- sing in the shower
- drink coffee
- listen to new music
- have fun
Remember, you don’t have to be in a creative mood to create something. You need experience in creating. How do you gain experience? Start small. Make origami, buy a small/cheap Lego box, knit a bracelet, draw Mickey Mouse’s shadow. Experience is the best way to learn things.
If you’re reading this, please tell me in the comments if you’d like Video versions of my posts. If you don’t - also comment :)