Let’s Get Inspired: 5 Simple Ways to Stay Creative

Derek Land — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:00:15 +0000

There’s no telling when inspiration will strike – and it can even get you all fired up looking at the bananas in the grocery store. No telling. But why is it harder to chase it down when you’re sitting at your desk trying to work? Here are five ways to help you get creative.

#1: Don’t Try Too Hard

The truth is, it seems, the harder we try to do something the harder or longer it takes to get it going. Sometimes the solution is staring us right in the face and we’re too close to see it.

So, get your mind active on something else – something different or something related doesn’t matter, just something else. If you’re trying to get a layout to come together (and it won’t) switch speeds a bit and try coding for a while, or switch gears altogether and watch the birds out the window.

Hint, hint: Don’t open up Wikipedia, because you’ll lose a few hours before you know it.

#2: Pump Off the Rusty Water

Creative author Danny Gregory says everyone needs to “pump off the rusty water” to get to the fresh stuff, creatively speaking. So instead of switch gears entirely (#1, above) and rather than working on the same project do something else creative. Why do you think so many personal spaces of fellow designers have a guitar hanging on the wall? Going from code creation to music creation can be a great way to stay in the creative groove without letting your mind go numb from repetitive tasks or troubleshooting.

#3: Give Your Brain a Break

Thinking too hard can, literally, make your head hurt. If you’re running in circle over a design, over a layout, a piece of code, a project proposal, whatever, try walking away from it completely – but don’t move on to something else. Make another cup of coffee or tea, and take ten minutes to sit and enjoy unwinding your mind. ten minutes won’t make or break a project, and the rejuvenation will probably help you work faster or resolve issues easier once you get back to work.

#4: Interact With Other People

Oftentimes the reason the brain gets wound up so tight is because it’s too focused on one tiny, minute detail or task. Interacting with others forces you to break out of that mode and use an entirely different part of the brain: Language and communication, not art and creativity. If you work with others in an office, take three minutes and banter (if they’re also in brain-dead mode), or, if allowed by your employer, go use the communal foosball or pool table for a few minutes. Just get up, get away for a bit and interact.

Why do you think so many design houses and/or major companies have game rooms? Parliament, in Portland, Oregon, has a pool table smack-plunk in the middle of their studio.

#5: I was Going to Say Power Nap, But You Already Knew That

…and then there are times when the brain is just tired and needs to reboot. Forget forty winks – even if you only grab a handful of winks you can give the brain a literal shut down and come back on more powered up than before. Sleep clears the head. The brain can think better, plan better, create better when it’s rested.

This isn’t a new thought; there are many people – creative or otherwise – who recognize the power of a quick nap. The relevant thing isn’t that “because you’re asleep you’re wasting time” it’s “after I snooze I think better and work more efficiently.”