12 Ways To Boost Your Creativity At Work
As workplaces continue to rightsize and downsize, we all find ourselves doing more with less. How do we stay ahead of the workload while staying sane? The key is to put your creativity to work for you so you can do more with less and shine like never before.
Just what is creativity? It is the ability to make, produce, cause to exist or bring into being; the ability to make something out of nothing or to make something better than it was before. Creativity is an inborn force that we all have: If you're alive, you're creative.
It needs to be said, though, that not everyone has the raw talent, creative vision and self-management skills to run out and make a living being an artist. But remember that artistic talent is only one way of potentially millions that you can express your creativity at home or at work.
In today's workplace, creative thinking, problem solving and innovation are at a premium. Here are 12 ways you can express your creativity more powerfully in any workplace:
1.) Use your values, interests, skills and aptitudes to express your unique perspectives, opinions and contributions.
2.) Take full advantage of the unique features of your personality to express your creativity in ways that are natural for you.
3.) Dress your body and your work space in ways that reflect your passion and energy.
4.) In what you say - either verbally or in writing - and how you say it, make sure you use word choice, vocabulary and communication style to showcase your uniqueness.
5.) Everybody works differently. Use your work habits, decision making and problem solving style to express who you really are.
6.) Everybody lives their lives differently. Use your personal habits, time management and outside interests to positively impact who you are at work.
7.) What are you passionate about? What kinds of things do you channel your energy into? What are you committeed to? Take all three to work with you and put them to work for you.
8.) Every creative act begins with a conception. Make sure you capture your workplace brainstorms in concrete ways.
9.) Every creative act develops through an incubation phase. Make sure you put safe boundaries around your own creative work time so it doesn't get overwhelmed with other responsibilities.
10.) Every creative act ends with a birth. Make sure you help each project grow to its next level.
11.) Celebrate your beginnings and your endings. Mark the big moments and look for reasons to play.
12.) Know when it's time to move on ? from ideas, projects and jobs ? then do it.
Still not sure you even are creative? Try reading the now-classic The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. If Julia can't convince you you are creative, then no one can!
Cheryl Lynch Simpson is a Spiritual Director and Solutions Coach who helps women discover and create the life they've always wanted to live. Cheryl is the author of over 30 print/Internet articles and the founder of Coaching Solutions For Women, a coaching website that produces and showcases career, business, and life solutions that improve the life balance of today's busy women. For a complimentary copy of her latest e-book, Ten-Minute Stress Zappers for Women Service Business Owners, visit http://www.coachingsolutionsforwomen.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Creativity, Persistence and Working Memory Huffington Post And sometimes, I am just blown away by the quality and creativity of people's solos. One thing that is clear is that the great musicians who play with us have spent a lot of time honing their talents. A fascinating paper by Carsten De Dreu, ... Boost Your Creativity by Improving Your Working Memory |
Creativity Is Essential to a Campaign, Not Just an Extra AdAge.com These included overall impressions, reach with priority audiences, message penetration, creativity of the approach or communications solution, alignment with other elements in the marketing mix, and line-of-sight to brand goals. |
Creativity needs to be encouraged in all grades, educator and playwright says Edmonton Journal EDMONTON — In early grades, children can make up their own songs, but by junior high that creativity is already being shut down. That's no surprise, says US consultant Dan Hunter, given the emphasis on standardized testing in North America ... |
 Plain Dealer | Urban Meyer's intensity, not his creativity, will be the fuel of 2012 Ohio ... Plain Dealer By Bill Livingston, The Plain Dealer View full sizeAP fileBraxton Miller's talent wasn't the primary ingredient that Urban Meyer is looking for in a football player, so spring drills focused on boosting the competitiveness of the entire Buckeyes squad. |
The 99% Movement Scorns American Creativity Forbes An attitude continues to grow in America that is being reflected in public policy, which heaps disdain on the creative and successful. Even if fully 99% of the population support it, this mentality will never lead to progress and cannot be sustained. |
Getting creative: Students form writers club DL-Online “We meet at 2:10 and 2:40, in two groups of 10,” explains Jackie Jenson, who has served as a volunteer creative writing coach for the Roosevelt Writers Club since last September. The students practice writing everything from poetry to essays to short ... |
Student creativity on display at the Capitol Princeton Union Eagle By Joe Nathan on May 16, 2012 at 7:32 pm Battles, creativity and determination were displayed on the State Capitol steps last week, and I'm not talking about the stadium debate. Several hundred parents, educators, students and state legislators ... North Lakes Academy student claims high honors in essay contest |
Developing Outdoor Creativity With Your Kids Patch.com This time of year I stock up on supplies that can be provided for some creative play when summertime boredom rears its ugly head. Here are seeds of imagination you can plant with your children to help them grow their creative play all summer long. |
 First Coast News | Nifty Navy Wife Creatively Keeps Deployed Husband Included First Coast News One First Coast Navy wife has found creativity is the key. When Tiffany Knight's husband Donnie was getting ready to deploy with the USS Nitze based at Naval Station Mayport, she wanted to find a way to keep her husband around the house. |
Encouragement helps nurture creativity San Antonio Express Last Saturday, the Fashion Extravaganza Around the World Runway show presented by Fiber Artists of San Antonio at Oak Hills Country Club was a festival of creativity. It's amazing what some people can do with a couple of yards of fabric, feathers and ... |
Innovation: Wake Up Your People's Creative Genius
Successful companies have innovation in their blood. The single most important element in an innovative company is the creativity of their people.
Creativity
Creativity is the gift to mankind. This is not the thing which can be created by human beings.
Theres A Light At The End Of Your Tunnel, Called Imagination!
Imagine this. You've got this huge dream you just turned into an exciting accomplishment.
Connect with Your Inner Artist
In the "Roadblocks to Creativity" e-course, we look at the 7 most common things that block our creative expression. So, if we're "blocked" when we're facing those things, what are we like when we're free of them?Well, certainly we're connected to our "Inner Artist".
Art, Artists and Money
Practical money tips for people in the arts.1.
How To Discover Hidden Talents Within You And Begin Appyling Them In Your Life Now
Have you decided it may be time to start creating some newexcitement in your life? If you are now retired, soon to be retired, or just now reaching those "golden years" do you feel your life has become a little dull? Uneventful? Maybe even a little discouraging?After all, when you reach this period in your life, yourroutine may have changed, your energy may have dwindled and even your drive may have simply slowed down a bit. So if you are not happy with this situation what do you do about it? Well here's something to think about that could just change the whole picture.
Creating Success
All things begin in consciousness.Consciousness originates everything that is manifest.
What Every Manager Should Know About How to Think Creatively
You may have heard of Roger von Oech's book, A Whack on the Side of the Head: How to Unlock Your Mind for Innovation. It's as much fun to read as its title suggests.
Connect with Your Muse
Lately I've been discussing how to thrive as a creative artist by connecting with different things. I thought it might be helpful to begin this article with some distinctions.
The Healing Powers of Journaling
For the past several years, I have found joy working as a motivational writer and speaker. One of my greatest passions has been the gift of sharing my deep love and respect for the written word.
How to Make Time for Art
The key to making time for art is the ability to say "NO".If you say "yes" to everything that is asked of you, you will not have time to be creative.
Tap the Creative Inside You
Imagination is the source of creativity. It's a place where unlimited possibilities reside.
How Logic Puzzles Can Help You Become a Better Problem Solver
I have to admit that I am a confirmed puzzle-head. I love crosswords, acrostics, and cryptograms.
Top Ten Creative Strategies for Inspiring Creativity Where You Work and Play
Websites, automobiles, milk cartons, living spaces. Design saturates every aspect of our lives and the difference between success and failure could be the color purple, could be the person that you talk to every morning when you wake up, or could be the amount of light that streams into your office every day.
Being Creative is Essential for Online Success
Do you have a strategy that ensures your online business stands out from the crowd?If your answer to the above is NO then you need to address this issue, because if you don't, it is unlikely that your online presence will even be noticed.With there being so much competition in every field on the internet it is essential that you offer your target market something different than your competitors.
The Power Of Your Intuition
We all have enormous reserves of mental capacity that we habitually fail to use. There is no problem that we cannot solve, no obstacle we cannot overcome, and no goal we cannot achieve when we learn to use the incredible power of our mind to its full capacity.
Creativity Management - Overcoming Blocks
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.
Think Orange! Creativity and the Sacral Chakra
Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could just flick a switch and turn on your creativity? Sadly, at times, tapping into your creativity can feel like trying to squeeze water from a stone. The good news is, there are ways of encouraging creativity and one of these ways is through balancing your sacral chakra.
Gifts of the Inner Voice
Now that I no longer awaken to the sound of a jarring alarm clock, I've learned to welcome the early morning hours.Because that is the time when I can hear my inner voice most clearly.
Creativity and Innovation Management : Why Products Fail!
There is no sure fire route to commercial success but the probability of success can be increased. This is important for at least two reasons:a) Resource Management.
