You may think creativity is something you are born with, a gift for certain people, a matter of luck. But what if we told you that you could also be a creative genius in your workforce — We all can!

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Creativity is like fulfilling your fitness goals or learning how to play an instrument. Some days it feels easy; other days, it is the greatest challenge. It takes perseverance, long hours of training, and enthusiasm as well because nobody is born an expert. 

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Just imagine trying to lift the heaviest weights on your first day at the gym: you wouldn’t be able to get up in the morning. You need to go step by step. Everything is a process, but effort and exercise produce growth.

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Developing creativity is key to finding the best solutions and perspectives to brave problems at work —or in life!—. It helps manage situations of crisis, entertainment, and dialogue. Thus, we all need to exercise our creativity muscle. Trust us: even though it looks hard, it is possible. 

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These are some ways you can practice creativity and make it grow:

1. Make a list

There is something powerful about writing that helps you organize your thoughts and ideas. It’s useful when you are trying to face a problem. It helps you clarify what is wrong and note your options. 

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As simple as it sounds, writing a list can make your brain venture into creating different methods and plans for accomplishing tasks. So, grab a piece of paper and let the brainstorming begin!

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2. Search for inspiration

Set time for the things you enjoy: buy some plants, put on music, decorate your workspace, and do some research! You can not grow your creativity if you do not like what’s around you. A good ambiance is key. In addition, you always need to look up previous ideas, so you can get the inspiration you need. 

3. Do some exercises

Time to act! In order to be creative, sometimes you need to remain a kid. You can try these practical exercises to develop creativity:

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• Draw it again: Select a simple figure and draw it every day for two weeks. Notice all the differences and the elements you could improve. The goal is to try to discover new and better ways to create the same thing.

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This will help your brain find different methods to approach situations. 

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• Dictionary story: Choose a random word from the dictionary, the word above it, and the one below it to create a short story with conflict and resolution. 

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This is useful for designing original concepts and combining elements to create new projects.

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• Compound collaborative: Choose a compound word and replace one word with another. For example, you can take “pancake” and change it to “suncake”. Then, make a drawing of your new word. 

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This can help you develop creative thinking and form new ideas.

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• Quantity over quality: For this one, you’ll break the common rule. Grab a sheet of paper and draw 30 equal circles. Set a timer for ten minutes and try drawing something different in each of the circles. The purpose is to portray the most ideas.

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This will help you establish different viewpoints for creating projects or solving problems. 

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Try one of these exercises every day (individually or in a group) and let your creativity muscle grow!

4. Take a break

Remember: muscles build up while resting. When you’ve been working on a project for too many hours, you can easily get frustrated. If you don’t rest, ideas don’t grow the same. So, choose a different activity, rest for some time, and let the energy come again. 

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5. Try again

Don’t be afraid of failing; it is part of the process. You have to be patient with yourself. Great ideas can take a while. In fact, the more you try, the easier it is going to be. 

6. Go on a trip!

Gain some extra inspiration. Change your surroundings, take risks, try new things, etc. Sometimes creativity doesn’t grow because we have the same routine every day. 

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You have to be willing to explore new ideas. If you create something, find a new way of portraying it. It’s essential to get out of your comfort zone to be more creative. 

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Now you know creativity is not an innate trait. It certainly takes time, but don’t stop practicing! Your creativity muscle is about to grow fasti.