16 Easy Ways to Unleash Your Creativity (Infographic)

Only 25% of people believe they’re living up to their creative potential.

You may think there isn’t a lot you can do about this. You’re either born with creativity or not, right?

We’ve all heard people say “I’m not really the creative type”. Perhaps you’ve even uttered that phrase once or twice yourself.

Yet science shows that not being creative isn’t an innate trait in anyone. According to psychology professor Barbara Kerr, only 22 percent of creative variance in people is due to the influence of genes.

In other words, creativity is trainable.

Creativity can be nurtured in anyone through practice and persistence. Even if you think you’re not naturally the “creative type”, there are still many simple things you can do to further develop this skill-set.

The Expert Editor have created the following infographic that explores the fascinating topic of creativity. Here we show:

• The careers where creativity is most important
• Some outstanding creative people today
• Common types of creative block
• 16 every day habits you can use to unleash your own creativity.

These science-backed hacks are little things you can do each day to boost your creativity. By adopting simple daily habits you can adopt to ignite your imagination and encourage your mind to think outside the box.

(Another way to boost your creativity is to learn secrets from creative geniuses like Malcolm Gladwell, Shonda Rhimes and Ron Howard. Check out our MasterClass review for all you need to know about this hit online learning platform).

Check out our infographic below for a deep dive into creativity.

What Is Creativity?

We speak about it all the time with young kids. We encourage them to paint, draw, write, sing, dance and to unleash their creative sides every single day. As we get older this focus on being creative tends to dissipate. Yet, creativity is so important throughout our entire lives.

So, what exactly is it?

Creativity is the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into reality. It’s about seeing the world in entirely new ways and finding hidden patterns and connections that no-one may have seen before. There are two aspects to our creativity: thinking and then producing.

Creativity is what drives us to not just create, but to innovate and come up with entirely new ways of thinking and doing.

How boring would life be if we all thought the same! Creativity is about breaking free from the mould and seeing the world in a whole new light.

Anyone can be creative. Creative thinkers come in a variety of different forms, but they all share one common trait: their curiosity. It’s our curiosity that encourages us to explore deeper and further in order to unleash our creative side.

Creativity isn’t something we should forget as we get older. It’s something we should embrace as kids and develop continuously throughout our lives. It can help us in so many different aspects of our life and help us to lead a healthier and more fulfilled life in the process. So, what exactly are the benefits that come from being creative?

Why Is Creativity Important?

Now we have a good understanding of what creativity is, let’s take a look at exactly why it’s so important. Here are 8 reasons you need a little more creativity in your life.

1. To motivate you

No matter what you do from day to day, doing something creative is the perfect way to lift your spirits and to help you shake off your frustrations. Whether you’re home with the kids, at work, or a mixture of both, having a creative outlet can make a huge difference to your mindset.

By turning the focus onto something engaging and fun, such as baking, drawing, painting, a puzzle, etc., you fire up your mind and get it moving again. This helps you leave behind those frustrations and negative thoughts you were having after a long day. This process can give you a new outlook on a problem or issue you were having to motivate you to achieve.

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2. Improve mental health

The average person has around 60,000 thoughts a day. It’s no wonder we feel stressed and overwhelmed all the time! Focusing on a creative act can help you focus your mind and it has a calming effect on your body and brain.

3. Connect with others

If there’s one thing we can all do with more of in our lives, it’s connections with others. When we create, it’s the perfect opportunity to join the community around us. Whether that’s an online community with a common interest, or an in-person community that you meet with each week. You have a chance to exchange ideas, provide feedback and chat about your interests – this can be deeply rewarding.

4. Increase your confidence

The more creative you are and the more time you give yourself to explore this skill, the more confidence you will build in the process. Success will come in different forms depending what activity you choose to explore. It’s about having a go and keeping at it, and less about the results. The more you unleash your creative side, the more confident you’ll grow and this will overflow into other areas of your life.

5. Form new ideas

It’s almost impossible to come up with new ideas without a little creativity behind you. Whether you’re stuck on a project at work, or caught up in your own personal rut, creativity is the rope that will pull you out again. Not convinced? Take a look around you at the amazing books on your bookshelf, the TV you watch, the tools you cook with… all of these came about because someone unleashed their creativity and gave it a shot. It’s the perfect way to see the world in a whole new light and transform your way of thinking.

6. Express yourself

We all need a creative outlet simply to let us be us! Whether you choose painting, sculpting, drawing, cooking, exercise… the options are endless and it’s a change to let yourself loose and to truly be yourself and in the moment. This has the added bonus of allowing us to be in control of our own thoughts and feelings, so we can understand them and manage them better.

7. Makes you smarter

Yes, you read that right! Creativity boosts that brain power of yours and makes you smarter in the process. The right side of the brain is our creative side, it connects with the left side of the brain which is responsible for motor functions when carrying out a creative endeavour. This improves your cognitive function! Time to think of a creative outlet to test your brain power.

8. Helps you live longer

Being creative can actually extend your life. Who else is in?! In a study published by Scientific American Magazine, researcher show that creativity exercises some of the neural networks in your brain, keeping your mind active and working out that essential muscle. This keeps you healthier and, you guessed it, helps you live longer in the process as well.

Finding A Creative Career

How amazing would it be to bring the benefits of creativity into our everyday lives through our career? There are so many creative careers out there to choose from. From artists to designers, actors and writers, a career change could be just what you need to live a more fulfilled – and creative – life.

Of course, a career change isn’t always possible. It can help to bring a little creativity into your workplace. Here’s how!

• Change up team meetings: do you always meet in an office with a whiteboard and throw around ideas. Get creative! Go for team walks, to a team lunch, or take a day off for team building. By simply mixing things up in your workplace you can inspire creativity and get everyone thinking.
• Change up yourself: if you can’t jump into a creative career, why not express yourself creatively through what you wear and how you style yourself. Opt for a new hair do, new clothes, new make-up or new shoes! How we dress is a form of self-expression.
• Talk, talk, talk: share ideas with others in the office, ask them for ideas and get the conversation started. Often, if we bounce off each other we inspire new ways of thinking which can encourage our creative side to come out.

There’s always room for a little more creativity in our lives, it’s about finding it and holding onto to it. Be inspired by some of the creative thinkers around you, which we explore in our infographic above.

From Alicia Keys to Tim Burton, Stephen Kind and Daymond John, the achievements of these creative minds is enough to convince anyone that a little creativity is always a good thing.

It’s clear that creativity is important and we need it in our lives. Who knows what we might achieve! Now it’s time to unleash our creative side.