Wired for Creativity

Hey there, friends! Thanks for joining us here in the Business Discussion space. I've had a lot on my plate recently, (don't we all), and have found myself in a creative slump. So when I found this article posted in the QuickBooks Blog I knew I wanted to share it with you all as well. Here are a few ways to rewire your brain to maximize creativity:

Diversify mind inputs
It's been a known fact for a long time now that humans are creatures of habit. But who can blame us? Routines and habits are comfortable and there's no fear in wrenches being thrown in your plans. However, daily habits don't leave much space for creativity. You can break this cycle by diversifying what you put into your mind. "Strike up conversations with random people, learn a new language, start playing new video games, read far and wide, and challenge yourself to do things that you ordinarily would not do. The more the new interactions you make, the more diverse your thinking capacity will be."

As much as possible, don’t multitask
We're all busy, we all have a lot to check off of our to-do lists, so this point may be easier said than done. [Over]multitasking creates so much brain stimulation you're simply unable to think of anything else. The writer here advises, "Stop piling up issues or forcing things that probably don’t need to be pushed. Take everything in and start solving issues as they come. That will help with your creativity."

Practice mindful observation
With observation comes inspiration; with inspiration comes creativity. With mindful observation you'll also note problems and will be able to tap into your creative side to solve them.

Take time out and do absolutely nothing
Say what?! Yes, you read that correctly. Absolutely nothing. Sounds pretty nice, huh? As mentioned, this can be very difficult, especially with work, appointments, and deadlines. However, the writer states, "Just set aside an hour from your busy schedule, hit the brakes, and forget about work. Too much focus and attention to new information destroys your ability to process new information fast or even analyze it effectively. Relaxing is critical to your cognitive capabilities."

If you've been in a creative slump like me I hope you'll find these tips helpful and effective to get you back on track. How do you boost creativity when you're just "not feeling it"? Let's talk in the comments!