3 Hacks to Improve Creativity

Every human being has creativity. Some appear to have loads of it while others are endowed with a tiny pinch. We often think the amount of creativity a person has is limited, that there is some kind of ceiling to it built into each individual. However, there are ways to enhance creativity through simple habits that anyone can implement into their lives.

Improving creativity doesn’t have to mean practicing writing music or painting. Creativity can be problem solving and business skills like thinking outside the box. If you want to improve your career, if you want to stand out amongst your peers then you must broaden your creativity when it comes to how you live your life and approach work.

Here are three proven hacks to improve creativity.

Use a schedule that supports creation.

In TV and movies, creative people are often portrayed as whimsical and free spirited. They have very few time constraints and drift through life letting their experiences inspire them. In reality, this is far from the truth. The most creative people are usually also the most disciplined.

Controlling time with a schedule removes distractions. Schedules add structure and take out tons of micro decisions you have to make throughout the day so you can focus better. In other words, when you have a schedule that relegates actions against time you have to think less and can be more present. A controlled and predictable schedule can give you time and space to be more creative.

You’d be amazed by the multitude of small decisions your mind has to juggle on a daily basis without a written schedule. So, take the time to write weekly and daily schedules and redirect mental power away from small, cluttered decisions (like when to go get coffee) and focus your full mental power on creative production.

Immerse yourself in other people’s creativity.

Make it a point to absorb content from other people on a regular basis. Setting aside time every day to read blogs, watch videos or read books in areas that interest you stokes creativity.

Art, music and the written word are not only entertaining, but when consumed in volume can help you look at the world through a creative lens. When confronted with a problem in business or life, the solution is often a combination of previous experiences remixed to apply to the present. Then the information your mind is using to problem solve is also diversified with creations from other people, the solutions you come up with are more creative and effective.

Set aside the time to devour art and work that’s different from your own. Spend time looking over what your colleagues are doing. Absorb your competitors social media and YouTube Posts. These simple activities will spark inspiration and also fill you with creative dat you can use everyday.

Make is a point to reflect

Do you ever feel like months or maybe even years have flipped by and nothing in your life has really changed? Your job, friends and living quarters go on being the same month after month and you stop to ask yourself: “Am I going anywhere?”

In order to grow and move forward as a human being you have to look at the future and reflect continuously on what is happening in the present. Work to adopt a curious viewpoint that involves constant learning about your surroundings and how things around you work.

A good way to reflect is to keep a journal. Spending a few minutes journaling and documenting the day’s events, thoughts and observations can be extremely therapeutic. Intense reflection like journaling sharpens observational power. Journaling daily can push the mind to start being more present throughout the day as you will need something to write about! No one wants to journal everyday that all they did was commute to work, eat a bagel and fill out some paperwork. Journaling and writing about your life opens your mind up to what makes your life unique.

Creativity is a mental and spiritual muscle. You can’t see it and measure it like a bicep, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be exercised and strengthened. All the tools you need to sharpen your creativity are out there. Put the above hacks into practice and start improving your creativity.

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