Three easy ways to boost creativity while you work

You’re sitting at your desk.
You’re staring at your screen.
You’re waiting for an idea.

We all know the feeling: You’re stuck, but you want to tap into your creativity and unlock a new solution.

We shared some ideas on the science behind inspiration and how to design more of it into your life, and, of course, we always recommend opening Pinterest to help you find inspiration. But for moments when you’re staring at your screen and staring down a deadline, here are some quick tips to help encourage creativity while you work.

Put some music on.

Listening to music boosts divergent thinking.¹ Putting on upbeat music can make it easier to think through your problem and come up with creative solutions.

This is a favorite work-from-home trick: I keep a record player in my office. Putting a record on not only reminds me to listen to music throughout the day, but the fact that I have to flip the record to listen to side B forces me to get up from my chair and move around for a moment. Whether you put on a record or listen to music on your phone (or the radio — a great opportunity to introduce chance and discover new music), putting on your favorite upbeat songs can help you solve your problem faster or come up with your next great idea.

Stretch your body to stretch your mind.

Research shows that stretching improves the mood and cognitive function in people who spend a lot of time sitting.² The benefits are clear, but it’s so easy to forget to stretch during the day. Another work-from-home trick of mine (thank you PinFlex!) is to lay out a yoga mat near my desk. Having a visual queue helps me keep the habit of stretching at the beginning and end of the day. Whether you do some quick neck rolls and arm stretches, opt for chair yoga (there are tons of tutorials online), or stretch out on your yoga mat between meetings, simple movement and stretching can help you think more clearly and creatively.

Keep a notebook out just for doodling.

Maybe you doodle your ideas longhand before moving over to a design file on your computer, but if unstructured drawing is not already part of your day-to-day process, here’s an invitation to start. A 2017 study showed that a doodling session activated the prefrontal cortex and increased participants’ perception of their ability to solve problems and generate ideas.³

Taking a pen (or crayon, marker, charcoal — you name it) to paper can help you work through your block and come up with a creative solution. Keep a notebook on your desk dedicated to freehand drawing, and try turning to it anytime you’re feeling stuck or want to generate a new idea.

Design work requires a lot of creativity and problem-solving. We hope these tips will help you the next time you’re feeling stuck.

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¹ PLOS ONE vol.12, 9, “Happy creativity: Listening to happy music facilitates divergent thinking.” September 2017.

² Perceptual and Motor Skills, 127(1), 142–153.“Effects of Acute Stretching on Cognitive Function and Mood States of Physically Inactive Young Adults.” November 2019.

³ “Functional near-infrared spectroscopy assessment of reward perception based on visual self-expression: Coloring, doodling, and free drawing,” The Arts in Psychotherapy, Volume 55, Pages 85–92. United States, published May 2017.