How to Use Leisure Time for Creativity
When you want to be creative, trying hard won’t help — neither will staring at a computer screen. Get-It-Done Guy has an outside-the-box trick to get your creative juices flowing.
There are zillions of computer programs and apps designed to help you brainstorm, get creative, and think outside the box. Apparently the programmers never noticed that the computer, itself, is a box.Â
While I want to believe that computers magically make things better and easier, it just isn’t true. I now have a several-decades perspective that suggests computers are a very mixed bag, especially when it comes to facilitating human performance.Â
If your job demands creative thinking, don’t do your creativity in front of a screen. Your brain works best when you use a mix of sensory systems, conscious attention, and unconscious integration to solve problems.Â
When you want to be creative, think for a few minutes about your topic. Then grab a pen or pencil and notebook and go for a walk. Move your body. Let your mind wander. Think about that awesome zombie movie you’re planning to attend. Or the plant store your friend just opened. Distract yourself, genuinely. Just enjoy the day.Â
In the back of your mind, your unconscious mind will be coming up with ideas, inspirations, and thoughts. When one strikes, jot it down in your notebook and then keep on with your distractions. Once you return to your office, then and only then look at them, discard what isn’t worth following up and use the rest.Â
About the Author
Stever Robbins was the host of the podcast Get-it-Done Guy from 2007 to 2019. He is a graduate of W. Edward Deming’s Total Quality Management training program and a Certified Master Trainer Elite of NLP. He holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School and a BS in Computer Sciences from MIT.Â
