Interesting Psychology Team
First thing first
What Is Creativity?
I would describe creativity as the inspiration that leads to new ideas, and then used to do something in a unique way, it’s finding ideas within yourself instead of copying something that already exists.
Creativity can be displayed in a tangible physical product, or it can be a way of approaching something differently in a mental way at its core creativity is problem-solving. What you come up with in your head is the new solution.
How Creative Ideas are Formed
Creative thinking is a process of coming up with new ideas.
And if you’re thinking to yourself “well, I am not creative, I cannot generate a single new idea”, think again!
New ideas don’t have to be revolutionary – Apple didn’t create the smartphone but they made it unique with the features they added onto it.
Creative ideas can be large and small – when the car was invented in 1886, it was a huge change in our daily lives; but things also changed when a simple Bluetooth functionality was added to the already familiar speakers.
So, do you have to be born with creativity or is it something you learn?
The truth is it can be both – some people are naturally inclined to look at the world differently, and others learn how to harness the power of their creativity throughout their lives.
Regardless of which of the two you are – there are simple creativity boosters you can take advantage of. First of all, generating ideas is done best when in a group.
When you make a suggestion, even if it doesn’t work, your idea can trigger other people’s imagination and they can build on top of it. It is ridiculously important to make sure the problem is stated correctly.
There is a difference between looking for a solution to people not handing in their projects on time and finding the right way to communicate the importance of good time management.
The right question triggers the brain to find an answer using both our logical and creative sides.
This is also why experts recommend we sometimes sleep on it – this allows our brain to process the events from the day and try to answer questions that had been posed to us.
Came Up With New Idea
When you are thinking of new ideas, make sure there are lots of them – feasible, impossible, silly, stupid, funny, messy, risky, and even crazy ideas. The more, the better.
You will have time to judge them later, first focus on having as many ideas as possible.
Why Routine is Killing Your Creativity
If you are struggling to come up with anything new, try changing something in your routine – talk to new people, go to new places, dedicate some time just for this, look for creative outlets around you and online.
We are surrounded by routines – when you wake up in the morning, do you eat the same thing for breakfast every day?
If so – change it; wear a silly colour to work; take a different route to school; listen to music you would normally never listen to.
Even a small break in our routine can change our thinking and help generate new ideas.
It is also important to always be prepared for inspiration to strike – carry a journal or use your phone to record any interesting ideas that pop into your head.
Some writers even have journals on their nightstands where they record ideas they dream about. Ideas can be so fleeting – it may come to you and fly away as soon as you focus on it.
Hone your Concentration and Stay Open-Minded Increase your Creativity.
Being creative means having a friendly and welcoming attitude to ideas and to change in general. Your creativity needs protection and a safe environment. Turn off your phone, close your computer, disable any notifications that may distract you.
Another tip – when you generate ideas, always refrain from judgement. Lay it all out on paper, and once no one can think of anything else to add, then you can start evaluating the ideas.
There is nothing worse than criticism during an idea generation process – it makes people feel judged and they shut down for the remainder of the time.
Speaking of evaluation, always try to think of at least 2 or 3 reasons why an idea will work. This way you don’t accidentally kill an idea before it has a chance to fly.
It doesn’t mean every idea will turn into the next Tesla car, but you could ask questions like “How can I use this idea?” or “How can I build on it and develop it further?”, “what is good in this idea?” and so on.
Finally, look up some creative thinking techniques that work for you.
Some of the most popular ones are:
- mind mapping,
- brainstorming,
- associations,
- SCAMPER,
- reverse engineering and so on.
Here are 10 easy things you can try to help you think creatively when facing a problem:
- Clear your mind: This will help you relax and make space for ideas to grow and flow.
- Do something you love to do to get inspired
- Collaborate brainstorm with friends can often help you create better ideas
- Keep a creativity notebook so when things come to you you can jot them down immediately and then review them later and create them
- Try listening to a podcast on the topic you’re faced with or related to the problem you’re trying to solve
- Create a visual mood board whether it’s online on something like Pinterest or on paper
- While you’re brainstorming playing music that inspires you
- Go take a walk outside and sometimes the exercise can help you think and come up with new ideas
- Get feedback and revise make sure your first idea has gone through several revisions before its final
- Put your phone away to reduce distractions and help you focus on what’s in front of you.
When evaluating creativity ask yourself these questions first; does it solve a problem? if so, is it a new and unique idea – lastly, have you revised it enough to work out any issues?.
