Creativity is not a gift it is a skill that we all have and that we can improve . With persistence and regular stimulation you can reshape your brain to improve your ability to generate original ideas.

Creativity does not necessarily mean knowing how to draw, it also means learning to think differently and develop new ideas. This can be used on a daily basis in your professional and personal life to find out how to solve a problem in a new way for example. Creativity has in fact been ranked as the 3rd most important skill required by companies in 2020 regardless of the career type according to the report of "The Future of Jobs".

5 tips to be more creative

1. Find an activity that you like

Becoming creative does not mean becoming a painter or sculptor, there are many activities that are much more accessible and just as effective for progress. The idea is to find an activity that you like so that the practice of your creativity is not a chore.

For example, you can go to an exhibition or buy a coloring book but you can also practice sports. No need to do marathons to improve your creativity, something as simple as going outside for a walk promotes creative thinking. A Stanford study showed that simply walking on a treadmill in a small room would increase creativity by 60%.

2. Integrate practice in your life

Creativity must be integrated into your agenda in the same way as your business meetings. If you want to make progress, book a time slot dedicated solely to practicing your creativity. By being integrated as a task in itself, there is a much greater chance that you will practice regularly and thus you will progress much faster.

3. Get bored

Boredom is perceived as an unpleasant feeling, a space perceived as painful, dull, which creates discomfort. Yet, doing nothing can be very useful.

Boredom makes it possible to be creative because your brain is usually always busy when you don't do anything. So he will try to keep himself busy, it can be compared to daydreaming. To convince you of the good reason to take the time to get bored to create better, think of the children, if you don't give them anything to do they will probably create a game themselves, thanks to their imagination.

And when you take a moment to do nothing, disable your phone's notifications so you won't be disturbed.

4. Enjoy basic tasks

If you don't feel like doing nothing, you can also work on your creativity by doing very basic tasks. Single-task activities like taking a shower doesn't require much cognitive effort so other parts of the brain can work. Indeed, when you perform a simple or repetitive task, your brain goes on autopilot, which allows you to create new neural connections and for example find solutions to problems you have encountered before.

As Chris Lewis explains in Too Fast To Think: "To generate the best ideas, you need to know how to take a break: everyone can develop their creative potential and learn to innovate. Creativity is a state of mind. You have to be able to face idleness without anxiety and let your mind wander. To allow oneself to be bored is to allow oneself to imagine and create. »

5. Observe what surrounds you

Observe your environment and ask yourself questions.

What is it? Why is it done this way? When was this created? Who invented it? Where did it come from? How does it work?

Don't take your current knowledge for granted, the world is changing and so is your knowledge.

Don't be interested only in subjects related to your university major or your profession or passion. Think bigger. Your curiosity is your best ally.

Thus,

in order to become more creative, try different methods and find the one you like best and practice as much as you can. The more you train, the easier and more natural you will innovate.

If you ever get stuck, try to get out of your creative comfort zone and try something completely new. If you used to draw, try writing a poem. If you used to walk, try a new musical instrument...This will create new connections in your brain and help you to be even more creative.