5 Ways to Boost Creativity
Feeling stuck? Uninspired? Experiencing the classic creative “block”. This happens to all of us from time to time, even the professionals! First, acknowledge that you’re feeling this way and remind yourself that it will not last forever.
Second, take stock of what might be contributing to the block- lack of sleep, poor nutrition, stress at work, lack of alone time? Now it’s important to note these do NOT get to become your excuses for continuing in your “stuckness”, but instead noticing where you are at can help you be more kind to yourself and feel more optimistic that the block will eventually melt away.
Next give these 5 action items a try:
Move your body. I know you’ve heard it before but we need reminders that exercise does wonders! Sometimes just a walk around the block can remove the “block”. Or if you’re looking for something more vigorous get on that bike and embrace that sweaty glow. Heck- have a dance party in your room by yourself! A burst of creativity might not come to you in that moment, but the release of endorphins will certainly make you feel happier and in turn get your creative juices flowing.
Change your scenery. Get outside. Sunlight no matter how small or cloud-filtered (shout out to my PNW peeps) has a tremendous impact on our wellbeing. Socializing does too, so go hang out with people who build you up. Book that dinner date with your gal pals, take your laptop to a local coffee shop, or just go use the stand up desk in the other room. Looking at things from a different point of view can help spark a new idea or find a fresh solution.
Use your five senses. Gretchen Rubin has wonderful insights on how turning to all 5 of our senses is a source of mindfulness and creativity. My favorite of her ideas is, “Visit an art-supply or office-supply store, craft store, hardware store, gardening center, cooking store, farmers market—anyplace where you’ll see lots of materials and equipment. Don’t worry about using anything; just wander”. The act of running your fingers over new tools or office supplies is bound to peak your curiosity and imagination.
Just start. Seldom is doing the work the hard part, but instead it’s starting the work. Let go of the end result, push past the perfectionist tendencies. Write one sentence, paint for one minute, take one photo, make one stitch, etc. A little momentum can get the ball rolling and help get you out of your funk. Take the pressure off creating something amazing and just take one tiny baby step.
Meditate. Create time in your day to simply sit and breathe, focus on the here and now. Research shows the numerous benefits of meditation such as decreased stress and anxiety; and increased focus, attention and problem solving. All of which aid in boosting creativity. I’m a big fan of guided meditations from the free app Insight Timer. If you’ve never meditated before it might feel challenging to sit quietly for even 2 minutes- that’s ok!
Now that you’ve got some new ideas, give yourself some grace. You don’t need to do all these strategies everyday. Maybe try 1 or 2 or try rotating through all 5 based on what your body is telling you this week.
You are the expert on yourself, you have the tools inside of you need to create! You got this, you will get out of this rut!
To see how my creativity has made it’s way to the paper, check out my FREE art prints. Snag your favorite one before time runs out!
Sending you all the creativity vibes in the universe!
Xoxo,
Meghan
