5 Ways to Bring Creativity into Your Day
*The information in this blog is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Jasmine Eddy, AMFT is not establishing a therapeutic relationship with readers and this information is not a substitute for a relationship with a licensed psychotherapist*
Whether you consider yourself a creative person or not, having the skills to generate new thoughts and ideas is extremely useful in life. Even the most innovative, creative mind will hit a block at some point. Here are easy ways to jumpstart your creativity muscle and hone the skill, whether you're a creative professional or just beginning to embrace the creative process.
1. Brain dumps
As part of your morning routine, you may benefit from writing down everything you’re thinking or worried about. Identifying these things and getting them on paper is a symbolic way of making room for other things by placing these congested thoughts and feelings outside of you. [How this helps the brain and promotes creativity]. If writing’s not your thing, you can boost the creativity factor by doing an art brain dump. Find some paper and colored pencils and scribble away. You may find something of interest in the finished product or tap into an emotion during your brain dump that you may want to find again.
2 Change your routine
Sometimes we’re experiencing a creativity drought because we’re stuck in a rut. One way that we can shake things up is to experience something different. Listen to music outside your genre. Hearing new sounds, instrument combinations, vocals, and lyrical themes may bring new inspiration into your life and creative work. Making small changes to your daily routine, such as taking a different path for a walk, can open you up to new sights that you haven’t come across before. Imagining life from a new perspective can spark creativity as well. Think of what your life experience would be like as another person, an animal, or an inanimate object.
3. Movement
Moving your body during the day is not only good for your physical and mental health, it’s also excellent for inviting creativity. Stress and tension settle in our bodies and we can help release them through movement. When we are physically feeling at our best it often improves our mental state. A calmer mind tends to have more capacity for creation and innovation. Consider incorporating some amount of movement during your day. This can be as short as a 5-minute stretching routine and as long as a 45-minute gym workout or creative movement session.
4. Reading
Similar to movement and exercise, reading whether that’s nonfiction or fiction helps you tap into creative spaces. We can even toss in audiobooks and podcasts as well. Taking in new information and stories impacts how we see our world. Whether it’s something you’ve never experienced or a new perspective on something you know about, this can change how you interact with the world and help you create new connections.
5. Embrace Silence
There’s so much we can learn from solitude and silence. Taking a few minutes alone to examine your thoughts and turn inward can boost your creativity. There are often brilliant creative ideas hanging out just below the surface. When our days are full and we’re constantly going from one activity to the next it’s difficult to tap into the insights we’ve gained as we go through our day.
Would you like some support around your creative process? Consider working with a licensed professional. If you’re a California resident, I’d be glad to work with you. Feel free to contact me for a free 20-minute consultation to see if we’re a good fit.