How to improve creativity

In this short video, several creative people explain some of the things that help them to feel more creative.

They do not mention neuroscience or specific cognitive processes, they talk more as people who are creative in practice.

The video commenced with Kelly Leonard, Executive Vice President, The Second City, explaining that ‘we live in a world that prizes creativity and innovation’ but then he says that ‘it doesn’t set up any practice for it’.

The video then includes different people talking about what they do to feel more creative, their practices for being creative.

How others improve creativity

We hear how some people try to get away from the noise, whether that is leaving the city, being in nature, or just finding a peaceful space. Another person talks about how he tries to get away from every day, to experience new things. It is in these new experiences that he can see new design problems and identify creative ideas.

Someone also raises the point that they do not consciously think about being creative, instead, it is just something they do. A similar point is made about how it can actually be helpful to not focus on the goal; to be creative, instead, he goes for a bike ride to unconsciously let his mind wander.

Routines aren’t always a good thing

Tim Brown, the founder of IDEO, makes the point that routines can stop us from being creative. Even though important, in our lives it can be a creative blocker.

To break your routine, you may need a perspective shift, seeing the world from a different angle, or trying something you regularly do in a new way.

It’s clear that the goal of quietening the brain, doing other things, changing your perspective, these are all ways to encourage certain processes in your brain that help creativity.