With more time because of fewer social engagements, it’s the perfect opportunity to dive into a new skill, hobby or anything that brings you joy. Instead of seeing it as just a way to pass the time, know that boosting your creativity helps counteract stress and anxiety while doing wonders for your physical health as well. Grab your crayons and let’s go!
Dance
One of the fastest ways to get in touch with your creativity is by shaking your body. Moving rhythmically and intuitively, having to anticipate the next beat helps you flow with more ease through your life. Learning how to get out of your head and back into your body, even a five-minute dance break can change your mindset – fast.
Get outside
There’s nothing that kills your creativity faster than being stuck in one place for too long. The best place to go is outside! Get into the grass, look at the sky, notice the colors, breathe in the fresh air. Getting Vitamin D from the sunlight is an amazing way to refresh your mind and body while letting your imagination grow!
The Morning Pages
In Julia Cameron’s book, The Artist’s Way, she describes one of the most popular takeaways from her work. The morning pages are a way to get in touch with the fluid, creative power that resides within you. Every morning, wake up five minutes earlier and grab a pen and paper. Start writing whatever is on your mind, you don’t have to write with proper punctuation, penmanship or even sentences. Just write down words, thoughts, ideas – whatever wants to come out. No judgement is allowed here either, just fluidly writing with no real goal besides expressing whatever thoughts are rolling around your mind. When you go back and read these, you’ll start to notice different trends and you’ll feel yourself being able to allow more creativity in your life. This exercise gets your brain out of the rigid, doing-mode and helps turn on the creative mind.
Play
Albert Einstein said, “I never made one of my discoveries through the process of rational thinking.” As adults, we get wrapped up in to-do lists and achieving the next goal. Do something for no other reason than it brings you joy, and do it often. Play cards, bake something, make up a new game, play leapfrog. Something that gets you out of the status quo and has you belly laughing is one of the most creative, productive things you can do with your time.
