Got lots of great feedback last week about my blog about Creativity and Social Services. But what happens when you decide you need to be creative and then…nothing happens?
Here’s a great blog with feedback from some seriously creative people on how they shake loose the log-jam that can be your brain when you are trying to think outside the box.
For my part, here’s a few things I do to stay fresh:
1. Write daily in a journal. When it’s freezing outside it’s wise advice to leave a faucet dripping in your house so that the water continues to flow through the pipes and doesn’t freeze. (that was free home care advice) It’s the same way with my brain. I’ve got to write a little something each day, even if it’s nothing great, in order to stay creative.
2. Read magazines. I like looking at magazines that have nothing to do with anything I’m doing just to see what is up in other areas of interest and in other disciplines. I particularly enjoy architectural magazines because these folk are seriously creative.
3. Pay close attention to my kids are interested in. This isn’t just micro-managing, it’s a good strategy to make sure you don’t wake up one day and don’t know what/who a Lady GaGa is. In addition, kids respect time-tested ways of doing things. For the purposes of this exercise, thats a good thing because you can see the worth through their eyes. If you don’t have kids, you can just pay attention to youth culture.
4. Music. Listening to music gets you in another frame of mind. If you need to get out of the rut listen to something that mixes it up for you.
5. Info Omnivore. So many people watch the same tv shows, listen to the same talk show, and drive the same route to work every day and then wonder how come they can’t get out of a rut. YOU ARE CREATING THE RUT! My habit is to read and watch a wide variety of things that will help keep my mind fresh and creative. Check out some of my past blogs on WHAT I’M LEARNING to get an idea or two.
DC
