“It is the tension between creativity and skepticism that has produced the stunning and unexpected findings of science.”
-Carl Sagan
Experienced business leaders seldom recommend fostering creativity among employees. Productivity is a much more cherished trait, but it doesn’t undermine the definitive need for creativity in competitive art-led businesses such as advertising. With projects piling up, professionals and small business owners might start to feel drained. However, this hit is only temporary. All you need to do is to recharge your creative batteries — which isn’t that tough. Intrigued? Here’re a few simple, yet effective ideas to help you gain your creative muse back.
Break the Monotony
No matter how creative your work is, it can become monotonous in no time for multiple reasons. Monotony is the chief culprit behind creativity drying up. It’s only human nature to get habitual and follow a specific routine as it spells convenience and gives one a sense of stability. Project management routines may often grow tedious. But as a creative soul, you can’t rely on repetitive routines. Focus on breaking routine every once in a while, and surprise yourself with new discoveries. Shuffle your tasks instead of following sequence, skip lunch at your desk or in the break room, go for a walk and grab a coffee or some Chinese food on the way. Have random group games to surprise your team, wake up/wind up earlier than usual, go for a long ride, call some friends, arrange an unplanned rendezvous or explore your city during night for some visual marvels!
Chase Your Learning Curve
The biggest favor you can do to yourself is not quit learning. And if you happen to be a creative soul, you simply can’t give up on the learner’s attitude. Creativity comes from the thirst to develop more from existing practices, and unless you stay open to the idea of continued learning throughout life, you can’t expect your mind and soul to grow in term of creativity.
The idea of an open attitude towards learning shouldn’t cease. Even if you’re a seasoned entrepreneur who thinks she’s seen everything, ego shouldn’t cloud your thinking and approach towards growing at work. Learning at all ages opens the mind to new concepts, knowledge and ideas and gives you wider experimental ground to work with.
Distance yourself from technology
New research by British psychologists showed that young adults use Smartphone roughly twice as much as they estimate that they do. “The fact that we use our phones twice as many times as we think we do indicates that a lot of Smartphone use seems to be habitual, automatic behaviors that we have no awareness of,” Dr. Sally Andrews, a psychologist at Nottingham Trent University was quoted as saying.
Technology is a leading factor that drains creativity. A buzzing Smartphone is perhaps the most dreaded device for creatives, especially when they are lost in a thought. Creative souls need food for thought and they are more influenced by the need to express then impress. But technology, not just your phone, often results in stunted personal growth and generation of original ideas. When you spend too much time looking at trending topics and other people’s work, you are bound to grow influenced. The best way to break the mold of “inspired work” is by eradicating existing, repetitive, tribute, plagiarized ideas and their source (technology and platforms that over-share) and focusing on generating original thoughts, ideas that exercise the mind.
Artists have shown disdain for even social media with many professing to never use the growing social platforms. While many proactively utilize the medium for promoting and sharing their work, widening their reach, many have been heard complaining of the self-obsession social media results in. The best way to inspire real creativity and new ideas from within is through taking a decent break from technology.
Live Up to Your Potential
75% of people think they are not living up to their creative potential. Not feeling that you are doing your creative and productive best may be harmful for personal and professional growth.
Companies routinely rate productivity among top factors that define success and organizational growth. While productivity directly influences task completion rate and individual performance in a company, some days, it is good to weigh productivity in terms of creativity. Not just for yourself, but for our employees as well. Volume of work shouldn’t be the only factor defining goals achievement, success and employee performance. If you happen to be able to do less than others, don’t beat yourself up over the matter and focus on original and competitive work instead of repetition and low-quality.
The one thing that professionals from any industry and any size of the company shouldn’t focus on is de-motivation and dissatisfaction due to lack of performance. Fostering a negative sentiment regarding your ability to do a specific job may exhaust your creative sources. So, develop positive work culture, surround yourself with people who encourage you to do better and make a journal of your ideas. Go analog instead of making a digital list and focus on completing one task as a time. Learn to take criticism constructively and most importantly, don’t get sucked into the bubble of self-pity. And if you see employees who have a creative bent, give them opportunities to use it. Maybe have your staff come up with the holiday window display this year.
The Bottom Line
A trait actively sought and valued by leaders, creativity is essential to maintaining the fight within a business. It is what defines the changing face of an organization and its ability to compete, set trends and establish itself as a frontrunner. Nevertheless, it isn’t immune to time, harsh criticism, demoralizing, disregard, etc. Several factors can dry up your creative juices, exhaust your ideas, limit your imagination but there is a simple antidote: foster it inside, express it without fear of acceptance and keep working on it. Changes as minor as enjoying a break, appreciating nature, turning your workplace green, and communication with encouraging, inspired, imaginative people will assist in restoring your creative expression.
Author Bio: David is a technical writer, his works are regularly published in various papers and top-notch portals. His rich experience in Project management domain helps him offer latest and fresh perspective on improved efficiency in work flows across organizations. His informative works on similar lines can be reached out on ProProfs Project.