The last few months when practically everyone has been confined to within the four walls of our world has become smaller. We have been confined to our homes. Travel, visiting friends have been practically non-existent and may continue to be so for the next few months too.
This has a direct effect on our creativity. Studies have shown that our creativity gets enhanced when we are exposed to new and novel experiences. Even activities as minor as taking a new route to the workplace can help increase our cognitive flexibility.
At the same time, we are under great mental stress with worries about our work, the health of self and family and children's education worries. We tend to become more reactive under stress and this can be a toll on creativity. In taking decisions we tend to think in binary rather than look for creative solutions.
Under these circumstances how do we keep ourselves creative both at work and in our personal lives?
We discuss here some strategies to widen our world view and enhance creativity.
Harness negative emotions
There is a growing understanding that negative emotions can be a powerful tool in our emotional toolkit. Anger can be a motivating force, productively focusing our minds and moods and pushing us towards our goals. When people realise that they can improve things, pessimistic feelings can activate the reward centre in the brain.
Engage in an expressive outlet
Expressing oneself with art can help manage stress and anxiety and improve health. This learning or practice of a new art form opens up new perspectives to problem-solving and facilitates finding creative solutions to problems. It also helps in tapping into a new set of learners, make new friends, lessen isolation and open up to new and novel experiences.
Get into a flow state
Flow state is a state of work when one is completely immersed in work and you lose all sense of time ie. being completely involved in the activity for its own sake.
People who experience flow report higher levels of creativity, and happiness. They become more creative in flow and report having more creative days ie., it trains us to be more creative.
One can create a flow state without intentionally trying to be creative. One way is to observe, collect and draw the times when you felt in such a state and recreate it.
Broaden your network
Diverse networks broaden creativity and that diversity positively correlates with individual creativity. in the last decade, knowledge creation was considered an activity based on our ability to process data and information. Today it is considered a social process enhanced by interactions.
Today we can network virtually and host your own event using any of the virtual platforms. One can invite people with complementary skills and share feedback, and experiences about business or any subject of common interest. These p0altforms can also be used to host social events where friends and family can get together and participate.
Spend time in nature
Spending time outside improves people's creative potential. Find a quiet place in nature to focus and persist in creative endeavours.
All of the above strategies can spark new ideas and are excellent starting points. We should make conscious efforts to counter the narrowing and anxiety of the current situation. You should not forfeit your creativity at a time when you need it the most.
How to Stay Creative When Life Feels Monotonous
by Susan Peppercorn HBR 2020/11
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