Do you feel that you are not the most creative person in the world? Well, here are some tips for anyone and everyone who wants to become more creative!

Daydream!

Contrary to what most bosses around the world believe, daydreaming is actually good for employees! Some experts recommend that we put “daydreaming time” into our schedules. A time of little interruption and intrusion, daydreaming allows our minds to roam free and work on creative ideas or solutions which we would never think about in a more serious state of mind.

Puzzles and Crosswords

Believe it or not, doing crosswords and puzzles can actually help us to be more creative! This is because crosswords and puzzles help us to exercise the creative side of our brains. And the more we exercise this creative side, the more we develop it! So the doctor’s orders are in: EXERCISE THAT BRAIN!

Scrapbook

If you read anything that triggers your creativity, cut it out! Images and articles from newspapers, magazines, etc., are all fair game for your scrapbook (just remember that library books and your momma’s cook books are off limits)! If it gives you a new idea or an “Aha!” moment, cut it out and paste it in your scrapbook. Or else with our busy lifestyle, you may forget about that inspiration and the “Aha!” becomes “Huh?”

Goals and Time Tables

Ironically, sometimes doing the mundane and structured things can lead to creativity. Setting a goal and a timetable to accomplish those goals can actually help us to be more creative. The goal does not have to be a big one. It could be to write a short story, paint a picture, think of a unique way to avoid more work from your boss, etc. Then set a deadline to keep you on track in completing the task.

Here’s a Game to Play

Get a bunch of your buddies over on a Saturday night and put a normal everyday object in front of you: a paper clip, a nail or even a plastic bag. And then brainstorm about what this item can be used for. Remember to think outside of the box. Write down anything and everything that comes to mind. The last person standing with the most ideas wins the game and the adoration of his companions! Plus, your creativity will be stretched and developed through this game!

Write!

The next time you encounter a problem or challenge, take out pen and paper, and write down a list of all the possible solutions. Sometimes through writing, we not only exercise our creative muscles, but it forces us to come up with solutions that just thinking through issues may not. Go ahead, take up the writing challenge!

Live to Learn

Everyday is a new opportunity to try something new and learn from a fresh experience. Interested in wines but never knew how it came about? Go research on the Internet about wine making! Cannot wait for F1 racing to come to town? Go to the library and read up on how these speedy cars are made. Always wanted to take up sewing but too shy? Go and buy that sewing kit and get to work! Let every day be another opportunity to learn something new! As you expose yourself to new ideas and thoughts, your vault of creativity will fill up with more and more good ideas!

Dream big, start small, and keep going!

Confucius once said, “It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.” Confusion tells us to do everything in one day! Which resulted in not much being done at the end of the day. Remember that creativity does not happen overnight so do not be too discouraged if you do not immediately see results. Keep going in that creative direction and do not give up. Sooner or later your creativity sparks will be flying!

References:
Robinson, Diana. “The Top 10 Ways to Enhance your Creativity.” CoachVille Knowledge Base. October 11, 1998. http://topten.org/public/BD/BD160.html (accessed June 23, 2009).
Baker, Mary. “Tips on Breaking the Creative Block.” Creativity Portal. April 10, 2005. http://www.creativity-portal.com/bc/other/creative.block.html (accessed June 23, 2009).
Kim, Carrie. “The Top 10 Practical Ways to Be More Creative.” CoachVille Knowledge Base. October 28, 1997. http://topten.org/public/BA/BA2.html (accessed June 22, 2009).