At work, it can be particularly easy to fall into a pattern while accomplishing tasks. However, our natural work patterns can sometimes make us feel stuck or unoriginal. Here are three exercises you can use to jumpstart your creativity and improve your work.
Sketch
Doing something physically is one of the best ways to get your creative juices flowing. Drawing or putting your thoughts into a physical form can help you dissect them and find a more creative solution.
Even if all you have is a pen and a stack of sticky notes, just start with a couple of doodles and see what comes out. You don’t even have to doodle out your problems; just take a few minutes and create a mini-masterpiece. Doodling like this will give your brain a break from the problem at hand so you come back with more energy.
Create Micro Challenges
If you’re more of a goal-oriented person, give yourself a challenge. Set a timer for anywhere between one minute and five minutes, then see how much you can accomplish in that time. You can even set a timer for 30 seconds if you really want to push yourself.
Examples of what to do in this time include:
- Write as much as you can
- Jot down as many ideas as you can
- Follow up on assignments
- Set a goal and plan for it
Alternatively, you can create longer windows of time if your project requires more attention to detail. Whatever challenge you give yourself, set a time limit that makes you feel a little pressure. The deadline essentially lets you use your body’s stress response to give you energy with adrenaline and cortisol.
Note that this tool shouldn’t be used constantly. We never recommend stressing yourself out. But, a little stress can help you get back on track when you’re having a sluggish workday.
Change Your Environment
We spend most of our time working. That means the office is almost a second home to many of us. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this, but the brain loves novelty. You might not think about it often, but there’s a reason new things are exciting and marketable. Our brains love new things.
When was the last time you changed up your work environment?
Give yourself a few minutes and rearrange your workspace. Maybe it’s time to hang up some new shelves or put up some pictures. Alternatively, you could move your desk around, or even just the items on your desk. Even small changes can freshen up your workspace and help you find more creativity.
Meditate
Meditation is a hot topic today, especially in discussions surrounding mental health. But what does meditation mean? Chances are if you have a smartwatch, you may receive notifications telling you to breathe from time to time. Meditation is a simple process where you tune out outside stimuli and tune into your personal landscape, starting with the breath.
If you’re a newcomer to the world of meditation, just start with closing your eyes and paying attention to your breathing patterns. Take a minute or two just to practice full and deep breaths. Don’t worry about “clearing your mind,” just focus on breathing.
You can look up short guided meditations on YouTube or use a meditation app. Meditating helps your creativity by giving your blood more oxygen, slowing down your heart rate, and allowing your nervous system a break. There are many studies that show the benefits of meditation, so take a few minutes and try it out!
Move
Exercise and activity are other ways to get more oxygen into your body and regulate stress. If you’re in the middle of work, you don’t need to do a full workout, but even standing up and taking a short walk around the office can help your brain reset, boost your heart rate, and give you more space and energy to find more ideas.
We hope these ideas help you break through your creative barriers and accomplish your goals. If you need help cultivating high-quality results in your business, give us a call. We offer traditional and digital media marketing services for businesses of all sizes.