Many of us creative types have reached a stumbling point where we can’t seem to be creative any more. The inspiration is gone, the motivation is lacking or we can only think in the same direction. Below are 12 great ways to boost your creativity.
- Boost your knowledge. Becoming more creative requires that you get a broad and thorough understanding of the topic. You may need to take classes to learn more about the topic, do research, try different techniques, ask for advice and so on. By boosting your knowledge you can challenge yourself to think outside the box. Your creativity will naturally expand and you’ll begin to see results within your work almost immediately.
- Commit to an idea. Often times we might decide to just give up on a project when we encounter a roadblock or can’t think of how to proceed. When your mind runs out of ideas, this can be a great way to challenge yourself to think from a new perspective. Come up with new ways of looking at the idea or reconsider if the way you are going about your project is what is blocking you from proceeding. When you force yourself to commit to an idea, you’ll see what exciting directions you’ll be able to take it. Giving up too quickly may cheat you from completing something amazing.
- Avoid procrastination. The worst inhibitor to creation is to not even create in the first place. As difficult as being creative may feel sometimes, just force yourself to get into the habit of doing your work. You’ll realize that as you begin to create, you’ll start to improve and you’ll be generating art consistently. The best way to get better at an art is to keep practicing. You may not create something exceptional the first few times, but you’ll get there the more you practice your art.
- Take time to reflect or meditate. When stuck in a creative rut, your first instinct may be to keep going regardless or to do something else. You may not be giving yourself enough time to meditate or to relax and reflect on your life. Sometimes the best ideas I’ve had were inspired through self-reflection. By allowing myself to just be in my own head, I can come up with new ideas and speak from my own voice.
- Take the pressure off. A big hurdle to creativity is adding unnecessary pressure to our lives. What if my book doesn’t get published? I need to sell at least 5 painting at this next art show. I’m really bad at this whole music thing, what’s the point of trying? The truth is, not everything you produce will be amazing. Not everything you create will sell and earn you money. Improving your creative skills can take time but still be just as powerful as a person who picks things up a bit more quickly. Some works may not pay off or be published until years after they have been completed. Do your very best and see what happens. The worst thing that can happen is you’ll create something that you are proud of.
- Limit how much you watch television or movies. I love watching movies and it can be a wonderful way to relax, but very rarely does creativity strike when watching movies. There are times when watching something can trigger a new idea, but typically when we watch shows, we become sucked into the story and rarely even notice a creative trigger when it does happen. Also, watching too much TV or movies can restrict the time you are being creative. Being sucked into movies or a TV series will kill time that you could have spent expressing yourself creatively. Be mindful of the amount you watch television since it may be having adverse results on your work or the type of progress you have.
- Write down your ideas. Have you ever been out with friends, had an amazing idea, and then forgot it by the time you could get home and start working on it? Unfortunately losing ideas can happen easily and frequently. Develop the habit of writing down your ideas the moment they come to you. You can carry a notepad with you or pop those ideas into your phone so you can review them later. By writing the idea down, you create the head space for more ideas. Since you won’t be working so hard to retain an idea, you’ll allow yourself to continue coming up with more ideas.
- Be open to rejection. Rejection can be scary, daunting and it happens to everyone. It can be a horrible feeling to create something and have someone else dislike it. However, each rejection is an opportunity for improvement. How can this work be improved? Often times the things we create can be revised to be better. View rejections as one method to knowing how your work can be improved. Rejection can also help us know what we need to invest more time in or show us where we are strong and weak in our creativity. Perhaps you are a writer and you have brilliant ideas but the execution of those ideas need work. When your work is rejected, you can get a better idea for how you need to improve.
- Get some rest. You’ll give your creativity a boost when you allow yourself some sleep. Staying up late and trying to work through your ideas is not as successful as getting some rest and working through your ideas the next day.
- Become creative in a different area. Many people get their inspirations from a different area. You are not limited to just one skill, talent, inspiration or art for the remainder of your life. There are many amazing writers who are brilliant researchers too. Their research can guide their writing and bring the stories to life. Poets exist who also love to do comedy on the side. Comedy can be an outlet for thinking of new ideas and putting a poet in touch with different people who may spark ideas. Musicians can also be wonderful communicators. Being a great communicator can guide the lyrics to your music and help your music actually speak to people in more ways than you imagined. As you branch out to different areas, you may find your creativity improves as a result. Your creativity may have a different inspiration or develop new angles from the result of learning or trying something new. When you feel stuck from what you know, then branch out and learn something different.
- Surround yourself with the creativity of others. Creating art is wonderful, but stay in touch with the types of art that people are creating around you. Their creativity may trigger new ideas within you and help you think of new ways you can take your work. Make time to read something regularly. You don’t have to invest a large amount of time into reading, but set aside some time to read everyday. Music can also enhance thinking and creativity.
- Work on having a positive mood. Although some artists believe that drama and negativity can really enhance their work, research states that being in a positive mood is more conducive to creativity. When you are in a bad mood, you may find it harder to sit down and do work. You are more prone to pessimistic thoughts about your work and may lack the motivation to work on your product. However, when you are in a good mood, you are likely to get things done. When you are not feeling in a good mood, then attend to your needs first. Do what you can to get you back in a positive state.
Making an effort to be creative can be tough at times. Even though creativity can have countless benefits in our lives, anyone is prone to getting into habits that can interfere with creativity. What strategies do you use to increase your creativity? What thing have you created recently? I’d love to hear your comments and feedback below!