10 Tips To Improve Your Creative Thinking
“To think creatively, we must be able to look afresh at what we normally take for granted.” –George F. Kneller
Have you ever felt stumped at work? Like you just can’t solve a problem, no matter how hard you try?
It might be time to start thinking creatively.
What is creative thinking?
Creativity (n): The ability to use imagination to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, and methods.
How does creativity translate to a new way of thinking that can help you when your brain feels like it’s simply shut down?
Creative thinking is a way of generating ideas and solutions by looking at problems through a new lens, even if that lens is a bit different from what you’re used to. In contrast to critical thinking, which is more analytical and objective, creative thinking is intuitive, subjective, and speculative.
There are two parts to creative thinking: divergent and convergent thinking. Divergent thinking is the process of generating a bunch of ideas — what would be considered the more creative aspect. Convergent thinking is taking these ideas and distilling them to come to a decision — more along the lines of critical thinking. Yet both are crucial to creative thinking, and especially creative problem solving.
So how can you start creatively solving problems? Here are 10 ways you can improve your creative thinking.
1. Keep track of new ideas.
Creative thinking is all about implementing new and novel ways of thinking. One way to do this is to keep on top of new ideas, trends, and information both within and outside of your field of work. Read magazines, trade journals, or blogs; listen to podcasts; even attend events!
2. Be observant.
If you want to use creative thinking for problem solving, you need to pay attention to those problems. Look out for similarities, differences, or uniqueness in the various situations and problems you come across. Knowing the problem, and how its similar or different to one you’ve encountered before, will help you generate some new ways to overcome it.
3. Brainstorm.
One way to activate the creative part of your brain is to brainstorm ideas. Holding brainstorming sessions, either on your own or with a team, will force you to consider all of your ideas, not just the ones you know already work. Once you generate enough options (divergent thinking), you can sit down and make an informed decision (convergent thinking).
4. Engage in hobbies.
Part of thinking creatively is being creative! If you have a creative hobby, such as knitting or even doodling, take the time to engage in that hobby. If not, explore new options! Go to art galleries, movies, or science museums; read literature or just hum to yourself occasionally. Not only will it help you enhance your knowledge and skill set, but it’s also good for your health! Studies show engaging in creativity, no matter how little, reduces anxiety, improves problem-solving skills, and relieves work-related stress (which can lead to heart disease and weight gain).
5. Keep learning about yourself.
You are your number one asset. Work at deepening your knowledge and understanding of yourself. Knowing your strengths, weaknesses, skill sets, and nature actually leads to better decision-making! Your self-knowledge gives you the foundation to make decisions based on what you know will work for you. And knowing yourself gives you the freedom to test out creative thinking without fear of straying from your personality or goals.
6. Learn outside your specialty.
Knowing yourself also means knowing what you’re good at… And that can be comforting. Especially if you took a job in the same field you studied in school, you’ve gotten incredibly comfortable in that specialty. However, taking the time to learn new information outside your usual field increases your skill set, which can boost confidence and make you valuable to a number of different employers.
One way to do this? Attend events or conferences that you may not normally attend. Increasing your skill set also means you’ll be able to generate many more ideas in the divergent thinking phase of creative thinking!
7. Get into the ‘flow state’.
Harvard psychologist Shelley Carson defined the ‘flow state’ as that unconscious flow you get into when you’re completely absorbed by your work. You can lose all concept of time and self, and end up solving problems while continuing to create. Creative thinking, with its ‘yes, and’ mentality, inherently lends itself to flow. And when you’re in flow, you’re bound to succeed.
This has a direct effect on the brain: when you’re successful, you get a little burst of dopamine in the reward center of your brain, increasing your happiness. You might not even be aware of it, but your brain certainly is, and it will keep pushing you to the same behaviors.
8. Take risks.
Adopt a risk-taking attitude. Fear of failure inhibits the ability to generate solutions and take action. One way to stop being afraid of failure is to simply embrace it. Realize it’s acceptable to fail, and take risks that may not lead to success.
9. Be flexible.
Although critical thinking is just as important as creative thinking, it can be a bit stifling. Avoid the rigid, set pattern of critical thinking, and challenge your mind to achieve better results in a new and exciting way, even if it may be completely different from what you’re used to.
One way to do this is to simply relax your mind. Focus is key to critical thinking, whereas a relaxed mind will be more open to experiments and even failure. Research has even found that original ideas sift through much more easily when a person is intellectually exhausted (and therefore their mind is more relaxed and open).
10. Ask questions.
Don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo! Continue to ask yourself, and those around you, thought-provoking questions. Creative thinkers tend to ask open-ended questions such as “Could we perhaps…” or “How can we…” Rather than being hindered by uncertainty, ask yourself: In what ways can I make this work?
Creative thinking can be challenging and nerve-wracking, but also rewarding and exciting! Besides boosting your mental and physical health, creativity opens your mind to new ideas and ways of doing, and prevents that all-too familiar brain cramp. Are you ready to open your mind and improve your creative thinking?
