Whether you’re studying, working or pursing a hobby, being able to tap into your creative side means new ideas and ways of thinking which can inject more meaning into your work.
But if you’ve hit a wall or are suffering from a bout of writer’s block – here are four tips to help you boost your creativity and let your ideas flourish.
Develop a routine and stick to it
As an online student or professional in our highly digital world, you’re no longer chained to your desk for set periods of ‘working time’. All our devices and 24 hour access mean work can be done anywhere and at any time especially when we are most creative.
You might be someone who does their best thinking in shower at 3am or maybe you get that creative flutter around lunchtime.
Whatever works for you, know how to identify it and then build your routine around it. You’ll thank yourself later when you’re watching the quality and creativity of your work rapidly improve.
Surround yourself with those who share your passion
Making connections with those who align with what you love to do is essential for broadening your creative mindset. The trick is finding out how and where to get in touch with these people and then start making those connections.
Look further than your current circle of friends or work colleagues. Go to meet ups, join study groups, look for relevant networking events, sign up for a class relevant to your interest or follow an industry group on LinkedIn.
By doing this you’ll open yourself up to whole world of likeminded people who’ll be willing to share their ideas, knowledge and past experiences with you to further your own pursuits.
Be open to experience
Creativity isn’t just confined to your work or study space. No doubt you’ll draw some inspiration from a place that’s your own, but there are limitations and it’s important not to restrict yourself to just one dedicated ‘creative space’.
Going out into the world and giving yourself the chance to have new experiences will reward you with different perspectives, ideas and inspirations. The experiences you have could be anything from visiting a new city to trying a new restaurant or studying abroad, it’s all up to you to push your own boundaries.
Don’t be afraid to fail
What do Vincent Van Gough, Elvis Presley and Michael Jordan all have in common ? Aside from being some of the most well-known for their work, they all failed once or multiple time in their creative pursuits.
Failure will only affect your creativity if you choose not to learn from it. If you haven’t hit that goals, take the time to look back on what you’ve done, where you might have gone wrong and apply this to your next project or piece of work, whatever it may be.
There’s every chance you might fail again, but each time you’ll grow steadily closer to achieving that goal, which may actually change the closer you get to it.
