It’s easy and convenient to learn the way you are used to, to follow a pattern and to discourage the creation of new things by thinking “the bicycle has already been invented”. An invented bicycle doesn’t guarantee convenience — it deteriorates over time, and if it isn’t improved or replaced, you won’t get a ride. It’s where creativity comes in.
Creativity is a person’s ability to do things in a different way. To apply new strategies that aren’t typical for a person.
Creativity allows you to move away from the usual actions, to look at life in a creative way. You can be an ordinary student, but you can prepare for and pass exams faster if you come up with a new and effective way of studying. For example, not to memorize history, but to invent stories with it and create associations.
You don’t have to be born a genius to learn how to do things in a new way. Creativity is a quality that can be developed. What keeps us from being creative? A sense of fear of doing things in a new way and making mistakes.
It may seem that doing “business as usual” is the best solution. This way you can avoid unnecessary stress and wasted time, but you don’t learn about better solutions. To get creative, decide why you want to change your usual actions. Motivation can come in many forms:
- Fatigue from routine. The days have become monotonous, and the constant cooking and cleaning makes you crazy. You can’t get rid of all the boring chores, but you want to diversify them or do something else.
- Love of creativity. You see the beauty in whatever you do — you approach it with originality and creativity. Even while playing the simplest game at tonybet.com/in, you try to create some unique strategies.
- Finding “your approach” to solving problems. You want to get away from being formulaic and doing things according to someone else’s instructions.
- Solving work problems. Your work is related to the generation of new ideas or, on the contrary, isn’t full of creativity and you want to change something.
If you are an accountant who works according to worked-out formulas, creativity is also important and useful. In technical work, a different perspective will help you avoid burnout and look for more comfortable work scenarios.
A person with developed creative thinking will not get bored, will cheer up everyone around him and will be noticeable at school and work. Creativity depends on a person’s willingness to be flexible, which is especially valued by employers.
For example, the pandemic was a test of strength for many companies. Those who survived the crisis were those who were ready to adapt to new unknown conditions and offer their solutions to save jobs and stay afloat. Creativity, flexibility, and attention to detail helped company leaders adapt to the situation and rediscover themselves and their potential.
Creativity is an important soft skill. Nowadays it’s difficult to surprise the audience, so you need to come up with new ideas, so creative candidates are worth their weight in gold. You can write “creative, communicative, friendly” in your resume, but it won’t make your ideas fresher and more unusual. Even if you weren’t born with a built-in idea generator, it’s a skill you can pump up with due diligence.
3 Simple Steps on How to Become Creative
In an effort to develop creativity and try something new, don’t exhaust yourself with things you don’t enjoy.
For example, yoga can help you develop your physical and spiritual state and encourage you to think new thoughts if you need it and are interested in it. If it’s not for you, you’ll get bored and frustrated with a failed attempt. Start with yourself.
Define What “Creativity” Is for You
Developing creative thinking and finding ways to self-actualize will be much easier if you identify what your motivation is. Ask yourself questions and with an understanding of what you need this quality for, get down to business.
Develop a Keen Eye
To create new things, learn about the old and keep up with what’s new. Subscribe to aesthetic and creative social media accounts, create a mood board on Pinterest.
For example, you can be impressed by food bloggers and make heart-shaped cupcakes instead of round ones. Or you can look for ideas for organizing your space or new ways to take notes — this, like any other new activity, will influence your creative thinking.
Put Your Brain to Work Through Creativity
Creativity won’t come out of nowhere if you spend a lot of time on mechanical tasks. Go dancing, learn something new at a workshop, take 20 minutes a day to draw, or write down your thoughts.
6 Tips for Generating Creative Ideas
Creativity is a quality that can be developed constantly and through even the most non-creative things you do. These tips will help come up with new solutions here and now.
Look for Motivation in Simple Actions
The most boring task can be accomplished easily if you find something useful for yourself in it. Do you think cooking dinner is a chore? Treat cooking as an act of care and attention to your body and health, and you’ll find the process more enjoyable.
Pay Attention to the Little Things and Change Them up
Taking a different route to work seems like a small thing, but it’s also a change. On the way, notice the architecture of the buildings, the sunlight and the blossoms — compare them. This way you’ll learn to notice the smallest little things, and you’ll also be inspired by the change of scenery and the beauty around you. If you take pictures of small things or moments you like, you can get a new hobby.
Try the “Yellow Objects” Technique
Memorize all the yellow objects in the room and close your eyes. Ready to list all those items? Hack the system and your own brain and remember the blue-colored items. This exercise will help you pay more attention to detail and move away from the familiar.
Write Out 30 Hypotheses for a Task
Thinking about what to do this weekend or how to tackle a work report? Write down 30 options of actions that will help you cope. These can be the most trivial ways or just a flight of your imagination. It may seem impossible at first, but once you start, there’s no stopping you.
Analyze Your Competitors
Find advantages and disadvantages for self-improvement can be found not only in yourself but also in others. People do everything in their own way — observe and don’t be afraid to try things that at first seemed strange.
Your coworker’s particular approach to work and coworkers can be beneficial to you as well. The ideal is to add something from yourself — embellish the idea with your authenticity. If you notice a weakness in the “competitors”, think of ways to fix it in your work.
Take Action
For example, if you are a web designer and the usual designs of your landings have decreased effectiveness, change some detail, compose an unusual combination of colors or play with animations.
Set yourself a challenge to realize any sudden idea within a day. Want to paint in the park? Buy paints and canvas. If you want to do some twine: sign up for yoga or do evening stretching — don’t even put it off until the morning, let alone Monday.