Continual Innovation

There are times when it can feel like you have just run out of good ideas. This is the classical “writer’s block,” and you do not have to be a writer to expertise this phenomenon. No matter what you do for a living, your creativity can be one of your finest resources. What can you do to increase your creativity when you just don’t feel creative? advantage of the mind-body connection to boost your creativity. There are a number of easy things you can do to clear your head and get your creative juices flowing.

*EXERCISE. Step away from your project and go for a walk, or head to the gym. Exercise promotes the flow of oxygen to your brain. Exercise also releases tension-relieving endorphins and decreases the levels of cortisol (i.e., tension hormone) in your body. All of these positive side effects of exercise will support to get your creativity going again.

*GET A lot OF SLEEP. Be positive you are obtaining sufficient sleep. In our quickly-paced world, it’s easy to short-change your self on sleep. We require at least eight hours of sleep to be fully alert and functioning at our very best. It is impossible to come up with your very best ideas when you are sleep deprived.

*GET AWAY. Take a vacation or mini-vacation for a change of pace and scenery. Do something completely outside of your ordinary routine. This will help you to see the world differently and get a fresh perspective. If now isn’t a good time for a vacation to the Bahamas, take a mini-vacation. This can be as easy as a 5-minute break to close your eyes and use imagery to evoke a relaxing scene in your mind.

*PRACTICE RELAXATION, MEDITATION, OR YOGA. Inducing a relaxed state of mind and clearing your mind of clutter will support you focus in the present moment. You will be surprised at the creativity that returns to you once your mind has been freed of the clutter of your every day thoughts and worries.

*SCHEDULE FOR CREATIVITY. Notice the days and times of day you are most likely to be creative and have very good ideas. Rearrange your schedule to finest utilize those times for your creative endeavors. Treat this like an appointment with yourself. Do not let other matters intrude on this essential time.

*GET COACHING. Coaching is an exceptional way to get your creativity flowing again. As a coach, I love to work with creative clients. Even the most creative individual occasionally feels stuck, or has difficulty implementing creative ideas. Having a supportive coach to assist you in brainstorming and developing certain plans to implement creative ideas can move you much further along than when you work alone. An example that comes to mind is a woman with whom I recently talked to about company ideas. For a number of years, she has had the notion of marketing her creative therapeutic interventions to other therapists, but she has by no means had a plan for moving forward with her organization. After just a few conversations, she is developing a site and items she will be marketing to other therapists. The support of a coach can be of tremendous value as you take action to put your creativity to work!