Follow These 7 Tips to Help Develop Your Entrepreneurial Creativity
One of the key qualities of successful entrepreneurs is creativity. Through creativity, you can figure out unique and exciting solutions to common problems and carve out a clear market advantage. Luckily, creativity is something that you can develop over time. If you feel like you are lacking creativity, there are many steps you can take to inspire yourself and push yourself to think outside of the box. Some tips for developing your own entrepreneurial creativity include:
1. Do something with your hands.
Creative approaches to problem-solving involve using your brain. To stimulate your brain, begin by using your hands. When you do something that requires a lot of hand-eye coordination, your neurological networks work harder, which can get the creative juices flowing. One great way to do this is to practice some visual arts, even if you feel like you are not a good artist. Try painting, sketching, knitting, or doing pottery. Even taking a few minutes to doodle can help spur new neural connections that facilitate creative leaps and push you toward innovative ideas.
2. Keep a personal journal.
Many of the leading creative minds have something in common: they regularly write in a journal. Taking time to journal helps you sort through the various ideas that come through your mind and record them. You can come back to the journal down the road when you need inspiration. Even beyond that, journaling makes a habit of collecting and preserving creative ideas. Writing them down regularly trains your brain to remember creative ideas and can help you consider many different concepts at the same time. Furthermore, journaling helps you free up some mental space for other tasks so you are no longer juggling many ideas. This way, the ideas are there for reference when you need them.
3. Take the time to exercise.
Working out helps to stimulate your brain in ways that other activities simply do not. Like engaging in artistic endeavors, exercising creates new neural networks, particularly in the hippocampus region. Also, working out is a great way to take a break from the everyday stressors you face and focus on deeper forms of inspiration. You do not need to take up very strenuous forms of exercise. Taking the time to go for a quick jog or even walk around the neighborhood can help. Yoga is also a great way to get your body moving, plus the mind-body connection of this activity can further inspire creativity.
4. Move outside of your comfort zone.
We often fall into comfortable patterns in our lives. These patterns can unfortunately stifle creativity. If you feel like you have fallen into a rut, you should try to do something to take yourself out of it. This could mean traveling to a new place, trying new food, or even just picking up a book that you would never consider reading. Doing this can make you start looking at life from new perspectives, which in turn encourages creativity. Scheduling time to do something out of your comfort zone each week can help you look at problems in a new light and lead to truly innovative approaches to solving them.
5. Explore the creativity of others.
A great way to jumpstart your creativity is to appreciate what other people have done. You may accomplish this in several different ways, such as going to an indie theater to see a movie or checking out a new exhibition at a nearby museum. You can easily combine this step with some of the others on this list. For example, bring a journal so you can write about the experience or jot down ideas. You could also bring a sketchpad to do some doodling when your mind is already open. Be sure to think critically about the art you are viewing and keep track of any ideas you think of that could apply to your company’s problems.
6. Schedule time to daydream.
In the business world, daydreaming can sometimes be considered taboo. After all, people who spend their whole days dreaming do not accomplish much. While you do not want to spend all your time dreaming, you can schedule short intervals throughout your day to let your thoughts wander. Keep pen and paper handy in case your mind wanders across something interesting that you may be able to use in your business. Even if the idea does not apply directly to the problem at hand, you may be able to apply it to something else down the line.
7. Change your surroundings.
If you feel like you are in a rut, changing your surroundings can prove extremely helpful. Putting yourself in a new environment is sometimes the only change your mind needs to come up with something exciting. Plan a day trip to somewhere new or simply spend some time at a nearby park. Many people find they get the most inspiration when they spend time in nature, so always think about how you could get to the water or some green spaces, especially if you are feeling stressed. Once in these new surroundings, pay attention to how your body is reacting and see what new thoughts come into your mind.
