Today I’d like to talk about one of my favourite topics of all time: creativity.

I believe being creative enhances our lives in all kinds of ways and it’s downright necessary to be successful in business.

If you’re one of those people who think they’re not creative, let me assure you that we are all creative. As human beings, creativity is part of our nature. It’s just a matter of opening our minds and learning to practice creativity.

Just like everything else, this skill can be improved the more you do it.

 

The wonderful thing about today’s world is that there are so many opportunities to make a living doing what you love. Getting paid to be creative is super awesome in my opinion.

But at the same time, with so many people taking advantage of this lifestyle, there is a lot more competition in pretty much every field. So that means being creative is necessary to stand out from the crowd.

That’s why I wanted to write this article. I know that a lot of people struggle with coming up with unique ideas to stand out. So here are some tips for you to practice your creative muscles.

 

6 STEPS TO BECOME A MORE CREATIVE BUSINESS OWNER

 

1. DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT

One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was, “When in a rut, do something different”.

It sounds simple enough, but I think we all forget this sometimes. We get into our comfort zone and end up doing the same thing over and over, wondering why it’s not bringing us different results. Well isn’t that Einstein’s definition of insanity?

So remember to always experiment with different ways of doing things.

For example, if you’re struggling with making sales, brainstorm a 100 ways you could get more sales. Write down everything that comes to mind no matter how small or silly it might seem at first. When you’re finished, pick something out of that list that you’ve never tried before and do it right away.

 

2. LISTEN TO PODCASTS

When I’m in a rut, I love listening to podcasts because I always get a ton of inspiration from them. There are so many good podcasts to choose from. Simply pick your favourite app for listening and browse topics of interest to you. I personally like to listen to them while walking outside.

 

3. STUDY CREATIVITY

Aside from reading articles like this one, keep researching ways to be more creative on a regular basis.

Also, there are plenty of books on the topic of creativity. My favourite one of all time is “Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert

If reading is not your thing, you can watch videos on YouTube. Or try the new Netflix special called “The Creative Brain”.

 

4. GO FOR A WALK

A simple yet effective way to get out of a rut is to go outside for a walk. Fresh air and changing scenery can be very stimulating.

And it doesn’t have to be a walk. It can be any physical activity. The point is to get outside and get moving because exercise increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain, which sharpens mental clarity. Read this article to find out how exercise can give you a creative boost by stimulating your imagination and new ideas!

 

5. LEARN SOMETHING NEW

Learning new skills is another way of exercising your brain and practicing creativity. It doesn’t even have to be anything related to your business.

It can be anything from learning to draw, paint or even cook a new meal. I love Skillshare for this because they have a ton of creative classes you can do online that don’t take up too much time.

Read more about it here: HOW SKILLSHARE CAN MAKE YOU A BETTER ENTREPRENEUR

 

6. UNPLUG

And finally, if you want to give your brain a chance to think of new ideas, you gotta unplug from your business on a regular basis.

I myself tend to think about my business 24/7 and I know it’s not a good thing. So to help break the thought pattern, I started giving myself small challenges to unplug.

For example, I decided that I won’t be going on social media or checking emails on weekends anymore. So far I’ve done it for a couple of weeks and as challenging as it was, it felt amazing. So I plan on making this a regular practice to give my brain a break.

How about you? Got any tips to add to this list? Share them in the comments below.