4 ways to improve your creativity and brainstorm sessions
Regardless of your profession, you will have to brainstorm ideas at some point. You may need to create a new product or marketing strategy, solve a problem, or organize something. While creativity is a must in these areas, many will face writer’s block or fall into a creative rut and struggle to break out of it. Here are our top 4 tips to help improve your creativity and break out of your rut.
Daily Magazines and Blogs
Subscribing to a blog or magazine can spark inspiration. Reading content and learning skills outside of your professional niche can help you think of a new approach in your field. Magazines and blogs allow you to stay updated on current trends and news. Making it a daily habit to read magazines, blogs, or news articles can also help you keep pace in your industry, especially if you work in a constantly changing field, such as politics or fashion.
Personal Journal
Thoughts and ideas continually pop up even when we are not trying to generate them. Recording your sporadic brilliant ideas is a great way not to forget them. There are various ways to record your thoughts, such as a notes app on your phone or computer, Post-It notes or dry erase boards, notebooks or journals, and voice memos on your phone or computer. While everyone has their personal preference as to which method they prefer for journaling, being able to use multiple methods only increases the likelihood you remember your ideas. For example, if you suddenly have an inspired idea while driving, you cannot whip your journal out to document it, but you can record it via voice memo or by using the virtual assistant on your cell phone. Your random ideas jotted across many platforms may not always seem useful to you at the moment, but you will be surprised how many you can connect or evolve into a better concept. As Steve Jobs said, “Creativity is just connecting things.”
Doodles
We have all doodled in class or a meeting at some point in our academic and professional careers. Doodling offers a variety of cognitive benefits and is a great way to help us visualize our thoughts and ideas. When creating new concepts, get into the habit of doodling them instead of just thinking about them in your head. Physically illustrating your ideas can help organize and evolve them. The benefits of doodling may be evident in industries such as fashion and graphic design, but doodles can also help professionals in less apparent sectors such as programming and law.
Mindfulness
When performing specific actions such as walking or eating, try to remain mindful of your surroundings and feelings. You will notice details you may not have seen before because you mindlessly moved through these actions. Mindfulness helps clean out your mind that you usually fill with thoughts and concerns. With a more peaceful mind, you can discover new details that easily generate new, great ideas.
Allo can be your online sketchbook
Allo can function as your online sketchbook or journal. This visual platform has a solid managing system, and you can take it anywhere so long as you have an internet connection. It’s the perfect way to jot down your ideas and notes quickly. Learn more about how Allo can be your sketchbook from an actual Allo user.
