Starting your journey as an entrepreneur is thrilling but also tough. There will be times when you feel stuck or uninspired and out of idea. Luckily, many creativity techniques and ideation strategies can help boost your creativity. These include brainstorming methods, innovative thinking tools, and more.
For example, trying creative problem-solving approaches and lateral thinking exercises can make a big difference. Some other methods like mind mapping techniques, divergent thinking strategies, and outside-the-box idea generation can also be very useful. A group of experts from the Forbes Business Council has shared their top tips for finding inspiration again. By using these tips, entrepreneurs can overcome creative obstructions and excel in their businesses.
Keep your creative juices flowing with these creativity techniques – learn innovative brainstorming methods, ideation strategies, and outside-the-box thinking tools.
Key Takeaways of Creativity Techniques
- Quantity leads to quality in idea generation through brainstorming.
- Experiencing new things and breaking routines can trigger creativity.
- Collaboration and discarding bad ideas can stimulate innovative thinking.
- Creative thinking is crucial for future business success.
- Techniques like mind mapping and SCAMPER can enhance creativity.
Embrace Unconventional Approaches
More ideas mean better results. Brainstorming is fun because you can be out of control. You get to have lots of ideas, then find the best ones. Rarely is the first thing you think of the best. So, just say what’s on your mind. Write it all down and spend 30 minutes or an hour doing this. Later, you can pick out the good stuff.
Look Within for Inspiration
What bugs you in your daily life? Those things likely bug others too. Forget the wild dreams; focus on common issues. The beauty is, we want to solve them. You can do this right at your desk.
Scribble Ideas as They Arrive
Have you ever had a great thought while stuck in line? I often did but forgot them later. Now, I jot them down or use an app like Evernote. It’s surprising how many good ideas you can collect over time.
Break Away from Routines
When we leave our normal paths, we find new ways to think and create. Using creativity techniques, brainstorming methods, and ideation strategies is key. They let us avoid the usual and find fresh perspectives, which brings about innovative thinking tools and creative problem-solving approaches.
Stop Being a Creature of Habit
Ever just stayed in bed longer? Or had something different for breakfast? Even walking instead of cycling to work. These simple switches truly make a big difference. They open our eyes to see life from another angle. This can kick off lateral thinking exercises and mind mapping techniques. They boost our divergent thinking strategies and encourage outside-the-box idea generation.
Experience Something New
Breaking routines could mean picking up a new hobby or travel. Travel is known to change our perspective. However, a simple visit to a gallery or a new experiment can also do wonders. These new things subtly shift our views and let us dream about the unknown. You’d find it hard not to be amazed by wonders like Machu Picchu. Such experiences push us to use creative visualization techniques and move beyond the usual planning. They fire up our innovative thinking tools and creative problem-solving approaches.
Creativity Techniques
Just because you’re an expert in an area doesn’t mean you’ve thought of everything. Try inviting some friends or colleagues to brainstorm with you. The point isn’t to criticize ideas on the spot. It’s to gather as many as you can. You can toss out the weaker ideas later. An odd or bad idea might just lead to a brilliant one in the end.
Collaborate and Link Creative Processes
Getting others involved and sharing creative processes can really amp up your creativity. Working with colleagues or friends to come up with ideas brings in new viewpoints. This approach can help shake off creative blocks. The secret is not to judge ideas too early. Just keep the flow of ideas going without stopping to nitpick.
Smother Bad Ideas
Ever found yourself stuck on a bad idea, spending too much time trying to make it work? It can block you from seeing better paths forward. So, take a step back and reevaluate. If it’s not a definite “this is it!” moment, drop it. Return to brainstorming, or pick up a different idea you set aside earlier.
Embrace Movement and Play
It’s tough to walk away from my desk during work. But, moving around can actually help you focus better. Even small acts, like walking in your kitchen, can make a difference. And, if you can, spend time outside. I highly recommend taking IDEO U’s inspiration walks.
Go for a Walk
Being playful and creative is key. At Trello, we have fun breaks in the day. Recently, we’ve loved Jackbox games for their witty humor. For more game ideas, check out this Trello board that’s open to the public.
Play a Game
There’s a cool trend on TikTok called #deskstretches. It’s perfect for those of us spending too much time sitting down. When you feel low on energy, try a quick and safe stretch for one minute. It can help you feel better and healthier.
Seek Inspiration from External Sources
Most new ideas aren’t really new. They build on what has come before. That’s okay; it’s part of the creative process. A little digging can inspire you through others’ work. For big ideas, check out NPR’s How I Built This podcast. For a lighter mood, their Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! podcast is perfect.
Remember the tip to “speak aloud” when you learned to write? Talking about your ideas can make them clearer. It can help you spot and fix things like grammar. Getting feedback from others early on is also key in improving your idea.
Conclusion of Creativity Techniques
We all face creative block at some point. It’s a normal part of being human. The goal is to overcome it quickly. The tips we’ve discussed can aid you. They involve unconventional methods, stepping out of your usual routines, and using creativity techniques.
There are over 350 creativity techniques out there for content strategy. Techniques like the 6-3-5 method, brainstorming, and the Walt Disney technique are great. They can help you come up with many ideas and innovative thinking. These tools let you use your creative problem-solving and lateral thinking skills.
If you lean towards intuitive-creative or systematic-analytical methods, keep exploring. You can use mind mapping to show your ideas visually. Or, you might want to use creative visualization to make your ideas tangible. A flexible mindset is key. It helps you stay in a state of innovative thinking and beat any creative barriers.
