Creativity is not something you are born with, in fact, it is something that can be learned. With the right motivation and a few simple tips and tricks, you will be well on your way to unleashing the creative genius within you.
From being open to new experiences to writing down your dreams, boosting your creativity does not have to be hard. And a simple switch to your mindset and habits is all your need to get started.
To learn how you can boost your creativity, check out these six tips.
1. Be open to new opportunities and experiences.
In order to boost your creativity, it’s time to start saying “yes.”
Why?
It goes back to science. In psychology, it is believed there are five basic personality traits known as “The Big Five,” which consist of extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness and neuroticism. Of these traits, “openness” is most highly associated with people who are creative.
Creative people are open to ideas and experiences, as its these new experiences and events that allow them to explore new possibilities in unfamiliar environments.
2. Do creative activities.
If you want to be more creative, start by doing creative things. One such example is through mood boards. Whether you feel like you are creative by nature or hoping to unearth that creative side hiding within you, mood boards are a perfect activity for just about anyone looking to become more creative.
A recent study compared the use and effect of mood boards between fashion designers and non-fashion designers, only to discover that there was a significant impact on both. In the end, both groups reported higher levels of creativity when creating and using mood boards.
3. Forget the “left brain” and “right brain” myth.
It has long been said that people who are “right brained” are more creative and artistic, while people who are “left brained” are more analytical.
However, the truth is… This isn’t true at all. In fact, a recent study, which examined brain scans of various types of people, found that cognitive activity was similar on both sides of the brain, and no one side was more creative or analytical than the other.
4. Set up a creative environment.
To be more creative, you have to surround yourself in a creative-inducing setting. And one research-backed way to do this is by painting your room. However, not just any color.
In fact, specific colors like blues and greens are proven to boost creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. In an earlier study, researchers discovered that blue walls were ideal environments for creatives, and another study found that green walls also spurred innovation and boosted the creative performance of people.
5. Keep track of your dreams.
Whether you have a dream about winning the lottery or landing your dream job, whatever it is, write it down. Because according to research, our nightly dreams have a direct impact on our daily creativity.
In a recent study, half of participants were asked to write down their dreams every day for a month, while the other half did not, and at the end of each day, all of the participants took a creativity test. The people who wrote down their dreams daily scored significantly higher than those who didn’t.
6. Be selfless.
Whatever you are working on, always keep in mind that eventually other people will be reading or using your work. A recent study revealed that people who carried the mindset that their work would be used by others came up with more creative and novel ideas than people who thought their work would not be used by anyone.
Rose Leadem
Rose is a writer and artist living in New York City. She writes for magazines, startups and websites, including Entrepreneur Magazine, Frontrunner Magazine, Homepolish and more.