10 Psychological Tricks That Will Boost Your Creativity

Sometimes it seems that certain people are simply gifted with the knack for creativity. If you feel like you were not one of those lucky few who draws from a seemingly endless creative wellspring, this does not mean that you are doomed to a life of the mundane and expected. Instead, focus on looking for ways to boost your own creativity.

Go for a Walk

A simple walk could temporarily improve certain types of thinking

Re-Conceptualize the Problem

Take a step back and revisit the problem from the beginning

Surround Yourself With Blue

The color blue tends to make people think more creatively

Meditate

Meditation has long been used as a relaxation technique, but recent research has demonstrated that health benefits extend far beyond relaxation.

• Open-monitoring meditation, in which the individual is receptive to any and all thoughts and sensations without focusing on any particular object or idea, can increase divergent thinking and the generation of new ideas.

Create Restrictions

When trying to solve a problem, people often rely on the obvious, building on existing ideas in order to come up with the easiest solution

• This often leads to a good outcome, but it can also lead to mental sets and functional fixedness that makes it challenging to think of creative solutions
• One way to overcome this is to place some restrictions or resistance on your thinking

Reward Yourself

Research has found that rewarding things that are already intrinsically rewarding can backfire and actually reduce motivation, a phenomenon known as the overjustification effect.

• So, try promising yourself some type of desirable treat as a reward for coming up with a creative solution. Just don’t overdo it.

Daydream

Boredom encourages creative thinking because it sends a signal that the current situation or environment is lacking, and looking for new ideas and inspiration helps overcome that

Get Emotional

Positive emotions are linked to creativity, but negative emotions can also be linked to creative thinking

• Make the most of negative emotions by working on something productive when you are in a bad mood
• Apply some of that energy towards solving a problem or accomplishing a task

Create Some Psychological Distance

Place some psychological distance between yourself and the problem

Surround Yourself With Inspiration

Stimulating environments can facilitate creativity, so surround yourself with things that you find inspiring and motivating

• Seek out stimulating experiences and settings that can help trigger inventiveness
• Create an office space that helps you feel inspired and energized

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