Five Ways to Be More Creative in 2016

Are you looking for some creative inspiration for the New Year? You don’t have to make big changes; even small ones can help bring out your creativity.

1. Turn off Distractions
It’s hard to focus with distractions all around us. See if you can go a week without one, or all, of these:

• Social Media / Email Notifications
• Television
• Budgets/Bills/Bookkeeping
• Electronic Games/Apps

If you can’t go a whole week, try starting with just one day. The app in mentioned in this article may be helpful.

2. Make Creativity a Habit
Having a daily routine can help bring out your most creative self. In her book, The Creative Habit, Twyla Tharp explains her habit of waking up at the same time each day, starting her day by going to the gym to exercise, and how she has done this daily for many years. Read her book for much more.

3. Keep a Journal
Keeping a journal helps quiet your mind by forcing you to put your thoughts down on paper. Try writing for at least 20 minutes a day and see what you discover. Bonus – It’s believed that putting our thoughts on paper before going to bed helps us relax and get a good night’s sleep.

4. Stop Multi-Tasking
This can be hard to do since we have so much to do and so little time. If you’re talking on the phone, just have the phone conversation and do nothing else. If you’re in a meeting or at dinner, put your smart phone away (try the app dinnermode). When you go for a walk, enjoy the walk completely and take in your surroundings. Your next creative idea may come to you without even trying.

5. Discover your Inner Child
Try doing a child-like exercise, such as coloring in a coloring book, or completing a simple craft project. Coloring can be an easy way to escape, be in the moment and be creative. The fact that coloring books for adults have recently become popular is a clue that we all probably need to take a few moments for ourselves to de-stress and find our inner creativity. For more on this read this WSJ article.

It doesn’t take much to get inspired. If you’re even the least bit motivated, just one of these ideas can help lead you to a more creative 2016. It’s time to celebrate a more creative you!

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