Ten weird things I discovered that boosted my creativity so I got more done
Untethered Mind, Sunday Edition, 4-min read.
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People say consistency is the key to creativity.
But sometimes, doing the same things repeatedly can leave us feeling like beached whales on sand.
We need something fresh.
We need to jump-start our brains so we can think in new ways.
Here are some ideas you might try to do just that:
1. Go for a journal walk.
There is a direct link between motion and creative insight.
Bring your notebook and make your walk explicitly to take notes. Be like an explorer in an undiscovered jungle, taking notes as you walk.
Whatever comes to mind, note it down.
You’ll often find that the more you note, the more ideas are pushed up.
2. Do one hard thing.
Yeah, you know what that is for you. There’s that one thing you keep holding off because it’s icky, uncomfortable or reminds you of pain.
Use this as an opportunity. Get the thing done, or at least one thing toward getting it done.
You’ll feel better, and you will be creatively boosted.
3. Have a cheeky dance.
Even if every fibre in your body says, ‘Not today, bro,’ throw on some dirty reggaeton and whip your hips.
You can’t help but feel better after a dance-off with the mirror.
4. Start a ‘weird ideas’ journal.
Great! You finally have permission to write down all your strange or left-field thoughts and ideas in a dedicated booklet.
This is significant because, often, without knowing it, we train ourselves to play it safe. We avoid risks and are drawn to conform. This is a death sentence for creative insight. Push yourself to write down far-out, ‘over-the-top’ or straight bizarre ideas more often.
This is you playing at your edges. This is training you to think outside the box.
It is also energising and fun.
5. Use non-linear tools.
Draw a mind map to explore ideas for your next book or creative project.
Whiteboards, spider diagrams, and placing sticky notes on the wall are other examples.
Creativity flourishes when seeing something visually in one place and moving segments around.
New connections are made that we might have otherwise missed.
6. Go swimming.
They say the shower is one of the best places to get ideas.
Being immersed in the white noise and refreshing heat or cold water power makes a difference.
7. Play with children’s toys.
What? Who said Lego or Hungry Hippos had to end at age ten?
My Austrian grandma had this box of toys I used to open whenever I visited her in Vienna. It contained little wood cars, puzzles and tiddlywinks and other treasures. I’d open it even into my thirties and wish I could open it today.
The toys instantly transported me to a world of play and connection-building.
8. Walk backwards.
I’m serious! How often do you walk backwards?
Not only is it good for exercising certain muscle groups, but walking backwards breaks patterns.
When we break the usual patterns, our brains are forced to adapt. When the brain has to think in new ways, we are forced to be creative and see the world from a new perspective.
9. Doodle.
When doodling, our minds are still, and we obsess less on cyclical thoughts that worry us.
We activate the part of our brain that we use to be creative. It’s not just for phone calls.
We can draw for fun, without a sense of needing to be ‘good,’ which may reveal new insights that surprise you.
10. Experiment with sensory stimulation.
Explore how engaging the senses through activities like listening to music, walking in a forest, ambient white noise, aromatherapy, flotation tanks, or tactile experiences like playing with play dough can enhance creativity by stimulating different parts of the brain.
Some of my best writing is done listening to aeroplane cabin noise on a loop.
Onward.
If you enjoy learning about how to be more creative, you will love the next book I’m releasing this week called, ‘Creatively Jacked: 25 motivation ideas for ambitious creators.’
You can join our special advance readers group here.
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I consider myself a connoisseur of lists of creativity prompts and ideas, and this one is GOOD. All of my journals are Weird Ideas Journals, and I am raring to do on a journal walk. I may even be able to convince my daughter to do it with me.
Love this list!