If you’ve found yourself in a creative slump, a little sunshine and fresh air may be the key to unlocking your creativity this summer. Here are 5 creativity-boosting ideas that will get your brain working in no time.
Spending a few moments each day outdoors will not only increase your creative thinking, but it will also make you happy, reduce stress levels and give your brain a boost. Most of us are stuck indoors at a desk all day. Change it up and eat lunch outside or take a brisk five-minute walk (see number 3 below). “We know that creativity and innovation happen when people change their environment, and especially when they expose themselves to a nature-like environment,” says Kimberly Elsbach, a professor at the University of California, Davis Graduate School of Management. Summer is the perfect time to start the habit of getting outdoors every day. Pencil it in and start now.
First of all, it’s time to start using those vacation days. A recent study showed that 42% of Americans aren’t using them at all. Your mind and body need a break from the day-to-day routine in order to maximize creativity.
Instead of taking that annual trip your family takes to the same place every year…change things up a bit and travel somewhere new or exotic. The Atlantic explains, “spending time abroad may have the potential to affect mental change. In general, creativity is related to neuroplasticity, or how the brain is wired. Neural pathways are influenced by environment and habit, meaning they’re also sensitive to change: New sounds, smells, language, tastes, sensations, and sights spark different synapses in the brain and may have the potential to revitalize the mind.” Exposing yourself to new experiences can help you feel refreshed and inspired at work.
It’s a common belief that going for a walk may give you a creative boost. Researchers from Stanford put this to the test. In their recent study they provided subjects with a creativity test, then had them take a walk and repeated the same test. The New York Times broke down the results, “For almost every student, creativity increased substantially when they walked. Most were able to generate about 60 percent more uses for an object, and the ideas were both “novel and appropriate”…Walking markedly improved people’s ability to generate creative ideas, even when they sat down after the walk. In that case, the volunteers who had walked produced significantly more and subjectively better ideas than in their pre-exercise testing period…”
If the scientific results aren’t enough to convince you, try it out yourself. Next time you’re feeling a creative slump, get up from your desk and get moving!
Have you always wanted to take a yoga class, learn to sew, cook a new dish or start playing an instrument? Have you been adding items to your bucket-list, but not checking any off? Now is always the best time to start something new. Trying something new is like exercise for your brain. New experiences will challenge your mind and body and can provide you with new insight and perspectives. All of these things can positively impact your creative thinking. As kids, summer was a time to try new things and have new experiences. Let’s continue that as adults. Make an effort to try one new thing this summer.
Music can be a powerful instrument in boosting creativity. It can make us happy, leave us feeling energized or relaxed, and can help us focus. Music ignites creativity in different ways, depending on your personality and what you enjoy listening to. Turn on music you enjoy. Listening to songs you already recognize become background noise and can help you focus. Turn up those tunes this summer and let creativity ensue.
Give these five tips a try this summer. If you’re still feeling that creative slump, leave it to us. Creativity is our prowess. Drop us a line at 910.681.0548 or send us an email.