February 7, 2006
Stimulating Creativity
Creativity is an essential component to success. There are ways to stimulate your strategic creativity that many people take for granted. Although you will need to explore alternatives that get your creative juices flowing, below are four ways that work for me:
Find a Stress Release
A major byproduct of stress is increased fatigue. Be certain to get sufficient rest and drink plenty of fluids during times of high stress. Find a form of stress release that will allow you to decompress after periods of focused concentration. Many people turn to exercise or meditation, which are natural and helpful to both your body and your mind.
If you have just completed a large strategic project and you have accomplished everything you set out to achieve, reward yourself with a day off. In fact, someone who thinks deeply in planning or problem solving should spend as much time away from their task as they spend working at it. For instance, if your job requires that you concentrate deeply for four consecutive hours, then you should spend at least four hours away from that task immediately following the four-hour session. The reasoning behind this is straightforward. Your mind needs time to absorb and synthesize the information. Four consecutive hours is the maximum period of peak mental productivity you should expect from yourself. After that four-hour period, take a break and focus on something else. You will be surprised how different the situation appears when you come back to it.
Embrace Boredom
Boredom is good for thinking creatively. Great artists often go years between creating works of art. Imagine if an artist walked into a studio and tried to force a masterpiece. It would not work. You should view boredom or restlessness as the calm before the creative storm. Allow your mind to wander and welcome the quiet time that precedes the creative process.
Take a Time Out
If you are working on a project that requires focused concentration and energy, arrange for someone else to help you with your normal activities. If you feel particularly focused at 2:00 a.m., you must respect the momentum you have and finish your thought process. Suppressing your creative energy will make it that much more difficult the next time you are inspired. In those rare bursts of creativity that are all consuming, rely on someone to cover for you on your other tasks. Make arrangements to do so in advance.
Walk Around
Some people find that ideas flow much more freely when they are walking or running. Others report that ideas come to them while they are in the shower. It seems that activity, particularly a routine activity that does not require a great deal of concentration, often frees up the mind to wander creatively.
Filed under: Personal Productivity
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