6 Surprising Ways You May Be Blocking Yourself Creatively

All of us want to generate better ideas and find elegant solutions to our problems. Developing creativity will be able to help us overcome challenges and obstacles that we encounter in our jobs, careers and lives. There are many things one can do become more creative. Some of us practice habits that help expand our creativity, but did you know that some of the things we do daily and the way we think can stunt it? Below are 6 ways that you may be stopping your creativity from flourishing:

1. You never unplug
Just like our our phones, tablets and other devices need unplugging and when they are charged or not being used, so do we. Just like an electronic device, if you are working and on all the time you won’t be able to function properly. If your brain is overtired, you will not be able to be creative. Regularly unplug yourself and truly unwind. That means no social media, no phone, no news. Instead, enjoy nature, visit a friend IRL, go for a walk, window shop, cook, take a nap, have a bubble bath, get a massage. Do whatever it is that helps you relax and brings you joy. Turn off your brain for a while. It needs a rest.

2. You are too serious
When was the last time you lost track of time while playing a game or while engrossed in a hobby or while doing something you enjoy that has nothing to do with work? If we are immersed in something we truly relish, we stimulate our creativity by setting ourselves free of our inner critic. Just do something and don’t be bogged down about the outcome. Just enjoy the process.

3. You aren’t getting enough exercise
Get your body moving! Physical movement can help with inspiration and help overcome mental blocks if done on a regular basis. The best movements involve using the right and left sides of your body equally to help stimulate both right and left hemispheres of your brain. Walking and swimming are ideal forms of exercise for this reason. If you only have a few minutes and cannot fit in a walk or a swim into your schedule, at the very least get up from your desk and stretch, march or dance around your office space or room.

4. You don’t try new things
Be willing to be a beginner, be willing to open your mind to new experiences and possibilities. New experiences tend to bring forth novel ideas and ways of thinking which not only help us grow as people but also help shake us free from stagnation and stale thoughts and processes. So, take that dance or ceramics course. Learn how to cook Thai food. Watch an independent film instead of the usual blockbusters you tend to go for. Try out a new style of outfit or wear a colour you’ve never worn before. Shake things up and see what that does for your creativity!

5. You don’t talk to enough people
Similar to number 4’s ‘You don’t try new tings’ talking to the same people over and over again can sometimes get us stuck talking about the same subjects and thus thinking the same thoughts. Having deep and meaningful conversations with new people can open our eyes to opportunities and to a different world-view especially if they are of a dissimilar background, or job, or economic status, or religion, etc. than you. Expand your circle or friends and acquaintances.

6. You don’t take any time for self-reflection
Self-reflection allows us to know ourselves better. When we are better able to understand our strengths and what we truly want in life, we tend to seek ways to use our abilities to express our true selves creatively. Journaling or meditating even just for five minutes a day can allow you get comfortable and open yourself up to insights you may not have acquired otherwise.

7. You are unwilling to fail
We all know that no one is perfect, so why does our work have to be? Fear of failure kills creativity because it stops us from even starting an endeavour for fear that we will not be good enough. Hardly anyone gets big or important things right in the first few tries so instead of feeling that you need to get things spot on in the first shot, why not intend embrace the “progress, not perfection” philosophy and enjoy the process of getting better slowly?

• Need a guide to help get your creativity going? MTM Hobbes Studios where you’ll find art and creativity workshops to give you the creative boost you’ll need.