Activities that Stimulate the Creative Process

The daily grind of work, chores, and other responsibilities can become quite boring and stifling at times. When we’re relatively worry-free and innocent as children, creative thinking would come more easily. Children create a whole world out of cardboard boxes, toys, and anything else they can find. As adults, many of us face a lot of criticism and backlash, so our creative process might get stunted along the way. 

This is quite unfortunate; especially as we now have many career paths open that require a motivated, stimulated creative process. At times, even a regular corporate office might require employees to think creatively. 

On a brighter note, creativity is a skill that we can hone and strengthen with certain exercises. These might even help us stay motivated for the long run. Here are some of them now:

1. Enroll in a Class or Course

Activities that Stimulate the Creative Process

This is one of the longer and more difficult ways to u leash your creative thinking, but it’s also one of the most effective. If you’re having trouble thinking out of the box, there are actual classes that can help you out. You can check out a Masterclass in your field, or see if there are any relevant courses near your location. If you just want to stimulate your creative process in general, a writing or arts class might be the most useful option.

When you learn something new, it’s like your brain has received a vitamin boost. You will be challenged, surprised, and invigorated by all the new information, techniques, and ideas presented to you. There are now evening classes, online classes, and even courses where the material is delivered to you via email to peruse whenever you have time. There are even some Ivy League lectures available for free on YouTube, so make sure to check out all the different options.

2. Start a Journal

Activities that Stimulate the Creative Process

This tip might make some people roll their eyes; after all, it’s the same one given to most people by their high school English teachers. However, if you’re stuck for ideas, journaling is usually among the best methods for getting those creative juices flowing. 

Even if it doesn’t work that way at first, journaling is a calming, almost therapeutic practise that you can do in private. Try writing some morning pages or evening pages, whenever the motivation strikes you. 

Journaling is an excellent way to offload your stress and frustrations in a healthy manner. Many folks end up binge-watching shows and eating comfort food to wind down at the end of a long day. If you turn to journaling instead, you’d be freeing your mind instead of making it slower with sedentary viewing and unhealthy eating. Writing will open up your thought process and creative thinking as well. Learn more about the stages of a creative process here.

3. Make Use of the Commute

Activities that Stimulate the Creative Process

Many people make the unfortunate mistake of thinking that their commute is just dead time. Take a look around you the next time you’re in the subway; you’d probably see people playing mindless games on their phone, watching unproductive videos, or doing something to help pass the time. 

You might be at the end of your rope after a hard week, or struggling to wake up properly early in the morning. In such cases, it can be very easy to simply zone out one way or another. 

However, this commute time might actually be one of the most precious slots in a working day. Prepare for this time beforehand by getting together a number of podcasts or useful videos that can actually help you learn something. You can also download audiobooks to listen to during that commute; it will help to while away several hours and help you experience something new at the same time. 

If you want to learn a new perspective or skill, non-fiction books are also a good option. On the other hand, fiction is probably more enjoyable for most and can add that much-needed spark to your imagination. 

We mention mostly listening exercises here; this is deliberate. Many jobs require looking at and using a computer screen for several hours a day. Even if you’re reading a book on a Kindle or your computer screen on the subway, it’s going to put even more strain on your eyes. An audiobook or podcast will allow you to gain the benefits of the work without having to risk your eyesight. You might even get a great idea while listening to something useful during your commute, so don’t forget to note it down right away.

4. Exercise

Activities that Stimulate the Creative Process

Physical exercise is also known to stimulate the mind. It’s also deemed as a positive way of dissecting from the racket in our brain and finally getting some mental relaxation. 

Some might want a fitness goal that isn’t work-related. If that sounds familiar, sign up for a gym class that seems like fun but will still pose a challenge. 

For more ideas on how to exercise, pull up some videos online. You can try a new kind of class or program every week, which will help you exercise your mind along with your body. It may also be possible to get in some exercise while you’re on your lunch break at work. Here are some other ways to reduce the tedium and boredom of your office.

5. Practise Meditation

Activities that Stimulate the Creative Process

At a glance, meditation can seem like a touch, boring task. However, you have to stick to it in order to achieve its benefits. When don’t regularly and property, mentation has the potential to clear away the nagging thoughts in your mind. You might even want to meditate on a certain topic; perhaps the same idea that you’ve been struck on for days. Who knows, the initial clearing might help you achieve a breakthrough. 

There are now meditation apps available, which provide soothing music and even some instructions in case you want to try a few gentle exercises. If you want the space to be completely screen-free, however, try gazing at a candle’s flame for some minutes, or put on classical music and sit quietly for a certain period of time. 

6. Try Sleeping

So you’re struggling to find a creative way out of a problem, or to think of creative ideas for your biggest client. When all fails, you might want to try napping or just going to be for the night. If you stay up all night fuelled on coffee and chocolate, your mental and physical health will suffer. 

Our brain is constantly processing thoughts when we’re sleeping. This means that our beauty sleep might also be among the best means of increasing idea generation. You can always read about the benefits of longer sleeping online. 

Conclusion

There are several other things that might make a person more creative than before. However, before any of this can take place, check to see if any of the above solutions are suitable for your child. You might be surprised at how quickly things turn around in the workplace.