How creativity can boost your business according to science?
It’s 4 pm. You’ve been staring at the problem for half an hour. You’ve just finished an extra strong coffee, and the solution is still frustratingly out of reach. Maybe you should just close the file, step away from your PC, and… draw a picture
Give it a go. Recent research suggests doodling helps people focus, think up new ideas and retain up to 29% more information.
At the same time, a study by The British Psychological Society shows that quick creative breaks throughout the day can give our brains a welcome boost and unblock annoying dead-ends. That five-minute time-out give you much more than a break from the docs and spreadsheets, it could help you feel more in control and ready for the task at hand.
Make the most of your break time
Next time you reach the end of your tether, do something creative rather than checking your social media or visiting the vending machine. Getting away from your desk makes it easier for you to relax and find a fresh approach to the problems that are slowing you down.
Listen to music. Plugging in the headphones reduces distractions and makes it easier to concentrate on the task at hand. Choosing faster music can even help you pick up the pace as deadlines approach.
Draw or paint. Art is great therapy and can relieve the drudgery of repetitive jobs. Even if you can’t draw, Staples’ Creative Colouring Catalogue can provide a pleasant escape from everyday work. Just don’t go over the lines.
Write a journal. Keeping a work journal where you can list your achievements, strike off completed tasks and note things you want to improve can give a sense of accomplishment that will help build your confidence.
Do a puzzle. Taking the opportunity to a do a game of Sudoku, or a crossword will help sharpen your wits, improve you're problem-solving and encourage you to think in different ways.
Relax, create and innovate
Creative breaks help us think more freely and imaginatively. Using the artistic rather than the analytical part of the brain gives us a fresh perspective on any issues, and helps us think of new and better ways to do things – at home, at work or on the go.
So how can you make time to get creative? One way is the ‘Pomodoro Technique‘ invented by the successful author and entrepreneur Francesco Cirillo. This lets you break big tasks into smaller, easily completed ones, with short bursts of concentration followed by a pause, usually 25 minutes on then five minutes off. If that sounds too much, a report by Desk time found that the top 10% most active employees work for 52 minutes then rest for 17 minutes.
University of Toronto associate professor John Trougakos maintains that nothing undermines our productivity like work-related stress, saying:
“Disconnecting from work can do wonders for people’s energy and mindset.”
He backed this up citing a survey where 59% of individuals asked claimed that more breaks would make them happier at work. So treat yourself to five minutes of colouring-in, finish the crossword or write a haiku. Doing ‘nothing’ for five minutes could be the most productive thing you do today.
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