11 Steps for Boosting Creativity

I was sleuthing on the Internet and found 10 Steps for
Boosting Creativity from Jeffrey Baumgartner's site.

Of course, I added some creative nuggets of my own below:


1. Listen to music by Johann Sebastian Bach or Ludwig van Beethoven.

2. Brainstorm. If properly carried out, brainstorming can help you not only come up with loads of new ideas, but it can help you decide which is best.

3. Always carry a small notebook and a pen or pencil around with you. That way, if you are struck by an idea, you can quickly note it down. Consider having it on your night stand - I have had some great ideas in the middle of the night or right when waking up.

4. If you're stuck for an idea, open a dictionary, randomly select a word and then try to formulate ideas incorporating this word. You'd be surprised how well this works. The concept is based on a simple but little known truth: freedom inhibits creativity. There are nothing like restrictions to get you thinking.

5. Define your problem. Grab a sheet of paper, electronic notebook, computer or whatever you use to make notes, and define your problem in detail. You'll probably find ideas positively spewing out once you've done this.

6. If you can't think, get out in nature. Walk. A change of atmosphere is good for you and gentle exercise helps shake up the brain cells. They say being out in nature helps a person's creative juices flow.

7. Don't watch TV. Experiments performed by the JPB Creative Laboratory show that watching TV causes your brain to slowly trickle out your ears and/or nose. It's not pretty, but it happens.

8. Don't do drugs. People on drugs think they are creative. To everyone else, they seem like people on drugs. Get your ideas the natural, old fashioned way - listen to your head or listen to your heart or maybe do both.

9. Read as much as you can about everything possible. Books exercise your brain, provide inspiration and fill you with information that allows you to make creative connections easily.

10. Exercise your brain. Brains, like bodies, need exercise to keep fit. If you don't exercise your brain, it will get flabby and useless. Exercise your brain by reading a lot (see above), talking to clever people and disagreeing with people - arguing can be a terrific way to give your brain cells a workout. But note, arguing about politics or film directors is good for you; bickering over who should clean the dishes is not.

11. Breathe and just be. Take 15 minutes for you every day, breathe and be, you'll be amazed at what this opens up for you.