Design a Creative Environment
Create a special place that is conducive to creativity, thinking, and working. Design a comfortable, well-lighted and well-supplied area for thinking without distractions. It should be well organized with the tools you need easily at hand. Surround yourself with the sounds of music and images that inspire you, and with tangible evidence of your success and creativity. Gather pictures, poems, and quotations that inspire you. You might want to hang a picture you made, a cartoon that makes you smile or a quote that touches your heart. To get your mind moving, try taking a shower, going for a walk, throwing darts or working puzzles. Ideas are wild creatures, so have a plan for their capture. Determine the time of day that is your peak for energy and efficiency to learn, work, or think. See Best Times to Be Creative at the Idea Sandbox.
Self-assessment uses the reasoning, judgment, language, and logic abilities that reside in the left brain. To generate ideas, switch to the creative right side of the brain, which includes imagination, visual and musical abilities. Give yourself permission to unleash your untapped powers of creativity!
There are four types of brain waves. Alpha waves reflect a calm, relaxed, yet alert mind, and are the most conducive to learning. See Surfing the Alpha Waves at DIYPlanner. Music that enhances the learning environment includes many classical selections. Color and light are additional factors that can affect learning. Visual surroundings can offer inspiration or distraction, depending on the nature of tasks undertaken. Blue is generally considered a relaxing color, while red may be energizing. Even smells can contribute, with a lemon scent creating alertness, while vanilla or spiced apple reduce stress symptoms. Quiet your mind to hear your heart. You might appreciate nature sounds, a fountain, flowers, burning candles or incense. Meditation and prayer, journaling, and reading inspirational literature can assist in listening.
Switch on your imagination to think of goals in different life areas. If you get stuck, look at these example goals.
Brainstorming guidelines:
- Work rapidly
- Free association
- Large quanitity of ideas
- Unlimited possiblities
- Suspend judgement
- To be evaluated later
If money and time were unlimited, what would you most want to do?
Discovery of the Day: Tools for Change from Shared Paths
Further Reading: Color at Elemental Truths
August 25, 2006 at 7:24 am
I’m glad you found information from Idea Sandbox helpful. Thank you for the link.
Having a conducive environment is a key to creativity. You’ve outlined some great ideas.
November 13, 2006 at 12:38 am
[...] The drone zone-you may be moving, but you’re not productive. There’s no energy, no motivation. Dial it up: increase input-search for new ideas, design a creative environment, use color. [...]