A truly creative idea can be priceless. But how to be more creative at work? In today’s blog, we outline three simple strategies you can start using today.
Write Those Ideas Down!
What if we told you that all you have to do to amp up your creativity is to put pen to paper?
While some people see creativity as a mysterious Holy Grail, the truth is that we have ideas all the time. Sometimes the difficulty is that some of our best insights come in situations when we can’t commit our thoughts to paper.
To solve this problem, take a cue from writers and carry a small pocket notebook with you at all times. This way, you will be able to capture fleeting ideas to hone them or remix them later.
If carrying a pocket notebook feels awkward, then use your smartphone. Note-taking apps such as Evernote or Google Keep make it easy for you to take notes and organize them on-the-go.
Give Yourself Permission to Procrastinate (Within Reason)
Nobody likes procrastination, really.
We all know that procrastination is nothing more than an avoidance strategy that often leads to stress and anxiety. But turns out that a reasonable amount of procrastination may be essential to the creative process.
At least that’s the opinion of psychologist Adam Grant, who explored creativity and non-conformist thought in his book Originals.
While Grant defines himself as a “pre-crastinator,” or someone who makes it a point to do things as soon as possible, he has come around on the issue of procrastination as a creativity-booster.
Grant believes that certain phases of the creative process require thinking at a slower pace, and procrastination helps us achieve just that.
So whenever you feel stuck or short on ideas, give yourself permission to procrastinate a little. Take a walk, organize
Learn New Stuff
Very often, creativity involves connecting old and new ideas. For example, Uber came about when software engineer and entrepreneur Garret Camp combined the idea of a taxi service with the potential offered by smartphones.
The meeting of old and new stuff usually sparks creative, ground-breaking change. This simple truth begs the question: How can you be creative if you stick with the same set of old concepts?
Stimulate your creativity by learning new things and being open to new experiences. Doing this can be a simple as using social media to follow experts from fields you don’t know much about.
Cross-pollination creates a fertile ground for innovation, and may as well pave the way for your next big business idea.
More Tips and Ideas
At the ONE Inland Empire Chamber of Commerce, we are always looking for ideas that help foster the growth of your business. Here are some previous posts to help you do just that:
- How to use social media to advance your career
- Cybersecurity basics for small businesses
- 3 Simple ways to protect yourself against identity theft
- Common grammar mistakes to avoid in your business emails
Interested in learning more about the ONE Inland Empire Chamber of Commerce? Contact us today by email (info@oneinlandempire.com), telephone (951-280-3902), or social media. We look forward to hearing from you!
