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Sometimes your creative muse hides. Or stands there, silent, just starting at you. Here are some quick tips for encouraging creative thinking.
- Do Something Else to Get Out of the Rut – Are you stuck in a rut? Facing writer’s block or just generally feeling “blah” about what you’re working on? Get up and walk away from that project and do something else. Sing a song. Plant something in the garden. Play with your kids. Often you’ll experience a breakthrough during other, seemingly ordinary activities.
- Keep a Journal – If you haven’t tried keeping a journal, it can be an excellent way to increase creativity. Jot down any ideas that pop into your head. Record distractions so you can mentally release them and clear your head.
- Feed Your Creativity – Feed your creativity, by properly feeding your body. Good food is brain food. Eating high fat, dense and hard to digest foods, can create sluggish bodies and sluggish minds – hardly the best for creative thinking! Quality food, high in nutrients and fiber, can help the mind work more effectively.
- Don’t Self-Edit Until the Rough Draft is Finished – Sometimes writers, artists and other creative thinkers can start editing the second they put something out there….a single sentence is edited ten times over before they start another. This can severely limit creative thinking and won’t allow for freedom of expression. I’ve found that I can write much more effectively if I just get everything out first, and edit afterwards.
- Make Yourself Comfortable – It’s hard to concentrate if you are distracted by a cluttered desk, noisy neighbors or other craziness. While some interruptions may be unavoidable, other distractions can be eliminated to enhance creativity. So light a candle, play some favorite tunes, and turn off the phone ringer while you work creatively.
- Harness the Power of Touch – A warm, loving touch increases oxytocin, a powerful stress-relief hormone that increases our sense of well-being. So if your creativity flow is diminished and you need a quick pick-me-up try getting a hug from a child, spouse or friend. Or snuggle with a pet as even a cat or dog can increase oxytocin.
These are just a few simple tips for increasing creativity and thinking outside the box. What else do you do to get your creative juices flowing?
Angela England is a freelance writer, Founder of Untrained Housewife and Editor-in-Chief of Blissfully Domestic . As a work-from-home mother of four children she is a master of hectic workweeks.
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