STATSCORE life, STATSCORE values

Creativity techniques – childishly simple

What makes us creative? Does everybody have the same ability to be creative? What makes the cooperation between the left and right hemispheres more effective for some people than for others?

CHILDISH  IMAGINATION

Children surprise us all the time – the birthday cake does not have to be round, the rules of the game do not have to be the same as those described in the instruction, we can grow wild strawberries at home and collect snowflakes on a glove to observe how different they are…

Why does it come so easy to them?

Because they aren’t afraid of being wrong or ridiculous. They want to try something beyond well-known patterns.

How not to be afraid of our ideas? Break our stereotypical thinking and boost our creativity?

We can use a couple of techniques, although invented by adults, they have managed to keep hold of their childish imagination.

BRAINSTORMING

A timeless, classic way of gathering lots of ideas. It’s a method that helps the mind to come up with totally unexpected, unbelievable and objectively irrational concepts.

The easiest option is following – a group of people (but not always necessary, you can do it on your own) have gathered to find a solution to a problem in a predetermined place and time frame. They start by answering a question and writing down the all possible answers/ideas. The answers are collected without judgement and then evaluated to get a result. „Out of the box” ideas are very welcome.

DISNEY’S CREATIVE STRATEGY

It’s a method that involves a different and parallel way of thinking:

– the dreamer with the visions asks „what?”

– the realist with the plan asks pragmatically „how?”

– and the critic with the reasons ask „why?”

With these 3 points of view, we can analyse almost any problem.

EDWARD DE BONO’S SIX THINKING HATS

It’s a tool which helps us to think more creatively and critically at the same time, it’s about representing one of 6 distinctive ways of thinking when making a decision:

White hat – facts and stating information

Red hat – feelings and emotions

Black hat – critical thinking and potential future dangers

Yellow hat – being optimistic

Green hat – creativity possibilities and new solutions

Blue hat – controlling and managing

Try to put them in sequence and switch from each approach to the next.

There are many other interesting and popular techniques like mind mapping, random words, SCAMPER, disruption, but why do we need creativity at all? 

WHAT IS CREATIVITY FOR?

To improve things, to make life easier for one and more satisfying for others.

David Eagleman, an American neuroscientist says that „Creativity doesn’t mean inventing something out of nothing, instead it’s about refashioning what already exists.”

WHERE AND WHEN TO FIND INSPIRATION?

How to develop our potential? Everybody can be creative if they are open-minded, focused and concentrated enough. Some conditions are beneficial to our creative thinking.

– Find out what is your most effective moment of a day, when you are at your most creative and full of new ideas – at 5 am or maybe after 10 pm and take advantage of it! (remembering of course about sleep hygiene).

– Find favourable circumstances: in relaxing, in going for a walk, in observing the sea (if possible), in taking a shower, in listening to music.

Read more: Your twenty-four hours – Time management

„We are works in progress” – says Eagleman.

How does your creativity work? 🙂

 

Want to learn more from STATSCORE experiences and good practices? Contact Customer Success Team via the Livechat at www.statscore.com or reach to us via email at cst@statscore.com.