With the rigorous demands of today’s hectic world, our time, attention, and energy are always being pulled in multiple directions at once. Not only does this negatively impact our stress levels and overall health, but it can most certainly affect our creativity.
New research suggests that boosting your energy can have a positive effect on your creativity. A new article on ASCAP’s website offers some practical psychologist-approved tips for how to “keep your energy levels in the green”:
• Hobbies: exploring extracurricular activities outside of work or school provides satisfaction and can help improve your problem-solving.
• Gratitude: Feeling thankful can lower stress and increase energy.
• Stress: make it a priority to mitigate the stress in your life by taking walks, doing Yoga, use a meditation app, or even doodle in your notebook. This will allow you to open your mind and think flexibily.
• Exercise: This improves circulation to your brain and should be a regular part of your daily routine.
• Rest/sleep: If you’re unable to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night, try to pencil in either a nap or some rest time so you can more efficiently process ethics, memories, creativity, and even your sense of self.
• Routines: Avoid decision fatigue and writers block by committing to a routine. This is helpful in forming abstract ideas and associations.
• Boredom isn’t the enemy: Self-described “bored” people often “exhibited increased creative energy” because boredom signals “that the situation at hand is lacking in some way, which in turn engages the brain to seek new stimulation and ideas.”
• Daydream: Allow yourself to sit with your own thoughts–the research shows it can help increase creativity.
All these tips will allow you to destress your life and declutter your brain while indulging your passions and produce meaningful work.
