Unexpected Ways to Boost Your Creativity - Lucy Adams

Welcome back to guest blogger Lucy Adams. I'm particularly eager to hear how different activities can boost our creativity as it is a subject I keep going back to this year. Take a moment to read her ideas. I'd love to know whether you have tried any of these or plan to. I'm definitely doing the exercise described under number #5.

Creativity is one of the most powerful instruments to solve usual issues in an unexpected, more efficient way. Ideas different from traditional or accepted thinking patterns are typical to strong, successful personalities.

Although creativity is congenital (remember children with their unusual ideas and fresh outlook), the upbringing that society gives us, as well as the imposed stereotype way of thinking, greatly reduces our creative abilities.

But not everything is lost! Below are some creativity boosters by Lucy Adams, a blogger who writes the best essays.

#1 Try to Solve Creative Problems When You’re Tired or Find it Hard to Concentrate

Afflatus (a divine creative impulse or inspiration) often comes when your thoughts deviate from the main course, that is when you allow them to wander freely and think about what seems unrelated to the main subject of research.

When you are tired or in a bad intellectual shape, you are harder to concentrate and easier to distract. In this state, it will be difficult to deal with analytical tasks, so focus on the creative ones.

A study by the Department of Psychological Science at Albion College and the Department of Psychology at the University of Michigan showed that at the non-optimal time, we tend to think in a non-standard manner and move away from the usual patterns.

Each of us has a unique individual rhythm and the peak of intellectual activity, and this should be taken into account. For example, if you’re strong in the morning, postpone creative tasks for the evening when you are already tired.

#2 Exercise Regularly

We all know about the benefits of physical exercise, but there is another reason to love it: according to a study conducted by the College of Rhode Island, regular physical exercise enhances our ability to think creatively.

In the study, the first half of the participants performed exercises using video, while the second one just watched it. Those who performed the exercises surpassed the rest in divergent thinking, that is, suggested a greater number of possible solutions to the proposed problem.

Christopher Bergland, the famous athlete and coach, describes the phenomenon as follows: "Sweat works as a lubricant for your brains – it repairs rusty loops and helps to think more flexibly. Exercises allow your consciousness to gain access to fresh ideas hidden in the subconscious."

#3 Work in a Place with Moderate Level of Noise

Many people love to work in silence while others listen to music while working. However, neither silence nor music contributes to the solution of creative tasks as much as the moderate noise of the surrounding world.

According to the study by the University of Chicago, complete silence strengthens the ability to concentrate but makes it difficult to think creatively. Therefore, if you need to work hard on tasks in which attention to details is important, work in silence. And if you need to solve a creative problem, go, for example, to a café where it is not too quiet and not too noisy.

#4 Look for a Link between Already Existing Ideas

Creativity is just a mix of things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they did not really do it – they just saw something," Steve Jobs.

Breakthrough ideas are not always something innovative; sometimes it is a successful combination of already formed ideas.

#5 Be Curious

Environment and upbringing teach us to treat things from the practical side so that ordinary things remain unnoticed until they threaten us or are required at the moment.

Try to look at things deeper and wider. Study them and turn ordinary to unusual. There is one good exercise that will help you with the development of this particular property:  

Choose one routine that you often use and think through 20 things that can be done with it. Take, for example, a sofa. You can use it as a trampoline, a swimming mattress, a podium, a place for a massage, a hiding place, etc.

#6 Expand Your Horizons

Do not discard anything while you’re in search of an idea – all information is significant! Explore different areas of technology and art, read classics and contemporary authors, watch old movies and visit exhibitions. First of all, pay attention to the topics that you avoided before. Why not make an effort and study them thoroughly? A lot of new impressions and knowledge await you there!

#7 Keep on Hand Images in Blue and Green Tones

According to the study of the University of Munich, even a small glimpse of green tones increases productivity in solving creative problems, while the blue color promotes creativity.

Do not be afraid and do not be shy of your thoughts and ideas. Once you understand that you are unique, you will immediately come to the conclusion that many of your ideas are good enough. You will stop throwing them away and treat them as useless. The more ideas you create, the more material you will have for further development!

Blog Author Biography:

Lucy Adams is an aspiring businesswoman and blogger from BuzzEssay. Most of all, she’s interested in covering the most intriguing topics of yours, whether they are about business, writing or literature. Share your best ideas with the blogger and get a high-quality guest blog in a week or so!