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A Dash Of Creativity In Daily Work Is Required To Keep Up Today

Making creativity a priority and putting it on your calendar will activate the executive attention network in your brain and help you focus on your creative projects—which is the first step toward becoming more creative.

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We have all had those moments when we are expected to develop a brilliant new idea. But nothing seems to strike us no matter how hard we think or keep staring at the laptop. We then see our peer, a "creative type" comes up with something astonishing. This leaves us wondering why we didn't inherit any of those creative genes ourselves.

Many believe creativity is a gift—something only the likes of Da Vinci's or AR Rehman's possess. This belief may be misplaced. Many psychologists argue that creativity isn't something people are born with; it's a skill that one can learn. As with any other skill, you can only get better at it with practice. The brain is like a muscle that needs to be developed. There are three networks in our brain that are responsible for creativity:

· The executive attention network (responsible for focus and attention).

· The imagination network (responsible for imagination).

· The salience network (responsible for making connections between the knowledge stored in our brain and our environment).

If anyone wants to become more creative, one needs to find ways to engage all three.

To get started, here are some ways to develop one's creativity.

1) Make it a daily habit. Put practicing creativity on your calendar

Instead of jumping right into your work when you get into the office, block off ten minutes, and grab a notebook and paper just to write about anything important that could happen on that day. A physical journal is your compilation of thoughts that don't need to make sense to anyone but you. Writing in a more free-form style will allow your creative juices to flow while forcing you to put your thoughts into written words.

Making creativity a priority and putting it on your calendar will activate the executive attention network in your brain and help you focus on your creative projects—which is the first step toward becoming more creative.

2) Take a creative course

Taking a creative course could be the right way to direct your creativity.

Creative courses could be anything from creative writing to photos to music, art, and design. Regardless of which course you take, you'll be exposed to different ways of thinking and approaches to working that you can apply to your work.

3) Physical exercise

If you feel like you're working your brain hard and still coming out empty-handed, try pushing yourself physically for thirty minutes or so. Research shows that moderate exercise influences

participants' performance on different thinking tasks and that exercising regularly may improve your cognitive thinking and creativity.

4) Travel to other places

Since your creativity is related to how your brain is wired, it's important to keep your mind stimulated by new sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and experiences. Expose yourself to an entirely different point of view through a new cultural experience. Keeping your senses sharp allows the brain to think in new ways. As mentioned above, writing down your experiences for yourself would further hone your creativity

5) Channel your inner child

Children are considered "naturally creative" because they know no limits to their creativity. Channel this mentality, especially when taking a completely different direction with your work. Instead of being concerned or self-conscious that your work isn't good enough, be willing to take risks to push your creative limits.

6) Incorporate breaks into every workday

Have you ever noticed that some of your best ideas come to you at random times, like while driving or early in the morning while taking a walk? There's a reason for that: These breaks allow your mind to continue to work on these ideas without getting tired where you can't organize your thoughts.

7) Connect with creative people consciously

When you've hit a wall with your ideas, it may be time to tap into the creativity of others. Surrounding yourself with people with whom you can share and get feedback on your ideas and opinions is good for your creativity and your career. These different points of view can provide a fresh perspective on a project you've been staring at for too long. Not only can creative people give you feedback on your projects, but their drive will also keep you motivated to do your best work. 

(The authored has been penned down by Ayaskant Sarangi, CHRO, Wipro Enterprises solely for BW People publication)


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