Creativity is the fuel behind some of the most significant innovations on the planet. Creativity is one of those character traits that most employers consider a must have for new employees. Creativity gives companies a competitive edge, while also making your job more fun and interesting. So, how can you harness the power of creativity in your career? This blog will give you some simple tricks to fuel your brain and drive your creativity everyday on the job.
Why Being Mindless Fuels Creativity
Inc. recently reported on an interesting fact about creativity; the most creative people release new ideas right after mindless triggers like taking a shower. A new study shows,“People often seem to generate creative ideas during moderately engaging activities, such as showering or walking.” Researchers at two major universities tracked one group of students who zoned out on a brainless video and another group watched a more engaging video. Then the students had to come up with creative problem-solving tasks. Researchers found that the students who engaged in the mindless video were much more creative.
This work mirrored prior research in 2017 that showed group tasks like brainstorming kills creativity more than fuel it. Instead, conducting relatively mindless tasks like cleaning the house, doing dishes, or yes, taking a shower, ends up making people more creative after the task is over. Researchers said,“To be consistently creative, you need cognitive variety. The idea is to balance linear thinking—which requires intense focus—with creative thinking, which is born out of idleness. Switching between the two modes seems to be the optimal way to do good, inventive work.”
So, how can you use what science knows to be true to increase your creativity at work?
Brain Habits to Fuel Creativity Today
It may sound counterintuitive, but the best thing you can do to spark creativity on the job is to walk away for a while. For remote workers, you could:
- Do the dishes.
- Walk the dog.
- Clean the house.
The trick, especially if you’re remote, is to do these in short increments so you don’t fall prey to lower productivity because you’re lost in a mindless distraction at home.
Don’t worry if you work in an office. There are plenty of mindless tasks you can use to reset your brain periodically:
- Take a walk around the building.
- Zone out with a video game.
- Organize your desk.
The idea is to split your day by conducting mindless activities that require your attention on one level but don’t need creativity. Walking, listening to music, driving, or watching t.v. all engage the brain on a lower level. It’s almost like letting your computer run an update in the background while you work on a document in the foreground. The trick is to schedule this kind of reset periodically throughout the day just before you’re called on to perform a creative task.
Reach Out to PrideStaff Today
Sometimes the biggest reset button you can push is to take on a new job. If you’re feeling the inability to be creative and these techniques aren’t helping, maybe the thing you need is a change of venue. Contact Us today to talk with the team at PrideStaff. We have jobs that will harness and fuel your creativity.
