Tips and tricks for being more creative

As I read more and more articles, watch more videos etc. about how to be more creative, it’s just so comforting to know that you can actually train yourself to think more creatively.

This time I decided to write down tips and tricks I have not heard of before. I will not write about how important is to use brainstorming or working out, for being more creative, although I really believe both of these help you in that case.

My intention was to find some new ways for myself to be able to think more creatively— something to use in everyday life.

1 You can call it an exercise or a game since it is fun and you might suprise yourself with unexpected solutions. This will enable you to start seeing fixed objects in new ways.

• Pick one object from the picture.
• Think about 10 different ways how you can use this object. (You can be as absurd as you want — just use your imagination)
• Now think about 10 ways where it is impossible to use the same object.
• Now pick 5 from your impossible list and think how can you make it possible — be creative!

2The purpose of the game is you to break the rules and assumptions in order to make the impossible possible. Others shoes is an exercise which you can use in any situation of your life when you need a different point of view or distance from your own thoughts. Whenever you feel stuck you can use mindset where you “step” in other persons shoes. It means that you have to think about how would somebody else act in that situation and solve the problem. What would some celebrity do? How would someone from the history solve the problem? How would some Disney character solve it? — the more removed are they from your challenge the more likely you will come up with very creative solutions.

3 If you are stuck with a complex idea or problem then you could use a simplistic view exercise. We often forget to think about basics. Try to think about the most simple solutions or even how would a child solve the situation you’re in.

4 Similarly to the first exercise, this one is more like a game also. Ask yourself the same question at least 20 times and give a different answer each time. A good way to stimulate your mind and come up with intriguing answers.

5 This one is not new, but it’s worth remembering. Read and watch as many different things as you can. We use a lot of websites which have one thing in common — filters. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t use filters but for a start try to spend 15 minutes a day reading or watching something completely different. When was the last time you read a car magazine or watched video about making the candies? You don’t know where will you get your next amazing idea.