Lifehack.org db clay Giveaway Grand Finale!

Barbara says on January 31st, 2008 at 11:08 am

A couple of tips I have to maintain your creative energy are:

1. “Hang out”, either in person or on the web, with other creative people to feed off their energy and vibe.

2. Look for the beauty in EVERYTHING. It’s there, you just have to look.

3. Change your perspective. Look at things from all different angles, up close and at distances.

4. Listen to a variety of music, read all different kinds of books and magazines. Go to art exhibits. In other words, expand your safe zone.

jeremy says on January 31st, 2008 at 11:18 am

floss regularly.

m_s says on January 31st, 2008 at 11:30 am

1. Do it every day.
2. Don’t be discouraged when life makes it hard for you to do your creative work - trust that time and fate always are kind and you WILL find a way back to it.
3. Do it every day.

As a writer, I’m dedicated to my three pages every morning, come what may, and wherever I find myself - they’re a precious lifeline to my writing however frantic everything else in my life becomes.

And, hey, wouldn’t a pretty wallet in my pocket remind me of my creative heart!

adorita says on January 31st, 2008 at 11:39 am

Many of the most creative people have morning rituals and well-planned schedule that might seem “boring” to others. e.g. Dilbert’s Scott Adams. Everyday, he wakes at 5:30am, eat a banana, pet the cat, walk to office, drink diet coke, read email, read news, post blog, start drawing.

In the GTD term, these people do not have to think about daily activities and thus free up the mind (RAM) for creativities. Therefore, it is important to choose what you do everyday. It is important to get into good habits that will benefit your life and work. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” - Aristotle.

Also, never stop learning!

Srećko says on January 31st, 2008 at 11:45 am

Someone said (and many people share this opinion) that a person cannot create anything new or “not already seen”. I agree with this, but you can copy from the things that hadn’t appeared in human world. Copy colours from insects, sounds from forest springs (meaning that you will have to get outside:). Anyhow, the best thin for being creative is being pleased with what you do, and to maintain this just read this blog

Mike Gillingham says on January 31st, 2008 at 11:46 am

1. Let the little guys be in charge for a change
2. Forget about money
3. Let your hair down
4. Stop for stretches
5. Don’t second guess; go with your gut
6. Eschew idea ownership
8. Add music
9. Cheer yourself on

Eric says on January 31st, 2008 at 11:47 am

I have plenty of mental blocks and find the best way to deal with them is using a couple exercises to empty my mind.

1.) fill up a page of stream of consciousness writing. I just jot down whatever floats into my head even if it doesn’t even mildly pertain to the project I got stuck on. You’d be surprised what you end up writing about by the end and kind of defrags your brain of all the weird half finished ideas you’ve got locked up in there. (Some of them might be useful for other projects your working on)

2.)Is a weird word association exercise I was taught in high school, which works along the same lines as previous suggestion. Simply write down the first word that pops in your mind then draw a dash and write another word that was a result of the first.

ie: computer-keyboard-piano-piano keys-locks-doors-porch-lamps-light bulbs-electricity-… and so on and so forth

push yourself to fill an entire page.

Erik says on January 31st, 2008 at 11:47 am

1) Devote time alone to do creative things you’d otherwise be embarrassed to do (listening to embarrassing music, pretending you’re Goethe, walking around at home with shorts on your head like a hat, being generally melodramatic about everything). Take notes. Feel free to do this at odd times, like 3am Saturday morning.

2) Drink too much coffee sometimes. (See #1)

Eric says on January 31st, 2008 at 11:47 am

I have plenty of mental blocks and find the best way to deal with them is using a couple exercises to empty my mind.

1.) fill up a page of stream of consciousness writing. I just jot down whatever floats into my head even if it doesn’t even mildly pertain to the project I got stuck on. You’d be surprised what you end up writing about by the end and kind of defrags your brain of all the weird half finished ideas you’ve got locked up in there. (Some of them might be useful for other projects your working on)

2.)Is a weird word association exercise I was taught in high school, which works along the same lines as previous suggestion. Simply write down the first word that pops in your mind then draw a dash and write another word that was a result of the first.

ie: computer-keyboard-piano-piano keys-locks-doors-porch-lamps-light bulbs-electricity-… and so on and so forth

push yourself to fill an entire page, and don’t be worried if you don’t think your association is good enough the point is to keep writing and keep the chain going to kind of jump start your creative juices again

David Williamson says on January 31st, 2008 at 11:55 am

Creative thinking can get rusty and it’s very important too keep in the habit of being creative. Here are my tricks to keep you in the habit of being creative, even when your job gets in your way:

A great way to keep you in a creative way is to develop new creative hobbies. Trying something you’ve never done will almost certainly get you thinking in new, more creative ways. Photography is a good example, and easily accessible. That’s kept the creative juices flowing very well and as I’m fairly new there is quite a bit there that could keep my interested for a long time to come.

Equally, working on creative routines is probably the most important part of developing, and keeping, a creative mind. Develop creative habits and then stick to them just as you would, say a work out.

Your day-to-day responsibilities often take the focus away from you being creative. Find the time to “play around” and make your creative outlets just as important as everything else you’ve got going on.

Force yourself to become involved, but don’t interrupt or override other’s creativity. It’s important to keep yourself educated and relevant. Get involved with the projects going on around you.

Getting out and meeting, talking with, etc. other creative professionals. Go to conferences, happy hours and other creative social events. Talk to your peers, brainstorm with them, share lessons learned, problems, solutions and your stories. Spending time in this way recharges creative batteries.

Justen says on January 31st, 2008 at 12:15 pm

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt about the creative process is not being afraid to let something go. If an idea truly does work or an inspiration is true to the art form, that truth will come back in your subsequent ideas, and usually it will become more clear and developed.

MikeR says on January 31st, 2008 at 12:19 pm

When you get stuck or frustrated, walk away for a little bit and don’t think about it. Do something mindless. Kind of CTRL-ALT-DELETE your brain.

RubenV says on January 31st, 2008 at 12:21 pm

Creativity: Force yourself to do it, and do it often. Do it a lot and don’t feel afraid to produce crap. Quantity turns into quality after a while.

Victor H. says on January 31st, 2008 at 12:23 pm

I think the best tip is just to get out of the house and have new experiences. If you are having new experiences you will have inspiration for new creativity

Katie Jennings says on January 31st, 2008 at 12:24 pm

Sit there until something happens. Might sound slightly over the top, but it works for me!

Gretchen says on January 31st, 2008 at 12:25 pm

At least once a day, do something on a whim. It doesn’t need to be major - dance in the kitchen, sing in the shower. Letting yourself “go” for even a few minutes gets your creativity rolling and can lead to great things.

david sellers says on January 31st, 2008 at 12:35 pm

when in need of a solution/answer/creative idea I’ll disappear into something else. relax. realize that IT will come to you. then immerse yourself into something relaxing - sports/video game/novel/music - for a few hours then take a stroll before getting back to work mode. i’ve found that sometime either during the activity or at least during the final stroll connections are made and creativity begins to flow. when it does drop everything and zone in…

Jesse says on January 31st, 2008 at 12:40 pm

Drop everything go and do the following:
1. Watch episode of Arrested Development
2. Exercise enough to work up a sweat
3. Take a shower
4. Brew up your caffeinated beverage of choice
5. Profit (at least in my case) from a surge of creativity.

KevinA. says on January 31st, 2008 at 12:47 pm

Reading Lifehack.org regularly will spur not only creative thoughts but some life-altering ones as well ;^)

David says on January 31st, 2008 at 12:50 pm

Read a lot–the more knowledgeable about stuff you are, the more you can combine ideas into new and better ones.

billy baccam says on January 31st, 2008 at 12:57 pm

talk to as many people as possible to widen your perspective and gain new ideas that you, yourself, would have never thought of.

Melissa says on January 31st, 2008 at 1:00 pm

Change your routine, go for a walk or a public place that isn’t on your normal path and watch the world/people for a while.

Brenden says on January 31st, 2008 at 1:01 pm

Carry a beautiful wallet and take it out and look at it from time to time…

I kid.

Shut everything off and find some peace and quiet. There are too many distractions these days and that can sap the creativity from anyone. (especially me)

Aaron Cooke says on January 31st, 2008 at 1:03 pm

Sit in a comfy chair and relax to the amazing sounds of Trinity Roots, Fat Freddy’s Drop and The Black Seeds!

Tim says on January 31st, 2008 at 1:08 pm

1. Break some of your routines every now and then (drive a different way to work, brush your teeth with your other hand, etc.) - it doesn’t have to be big, but your brain will appreciate that little bit of variety.
2. Carry your camera with you one day, dedicate yourself to taking x number of shots (25? 50?), and try not to go out of your way to do so. It’ll force you to look at your surroundings from a number of different perspectives.
3. Caffeine is your friend.
4. Make time in your day for creative output, even just 15 minutes, and force yourself to do nothing else during that time. If you blank, then stare at that blank sheet of paper until something comes to you.
5. Take pride in your creativity, regardless of how much “improvement” you may gage it to need. If you worry too much on attaining perfection, you’ll miss out on the joy of the sweat and blood during the journey there. The ideal should be a destination, not a goal.

Josh says on January 31st, 2008 at 1:14 pm

The best way is to do two things at once: doodle on your notes, a lot. (and take a ton of notes) This makes sure you’re not focusing on the very small details of what is going on but hopefully the bigger picture.

Second…I like to do this little game where I will just draw an arrow between two random ideas (either from aforementioned notes or new random ideas) and do anything I can to logically connect the ideas in my mind. It often helps to come up with new concepts that haven’t been tried before.

Niranjan says on January 31st, 2008 at 1:16 pm

Be observant, learn, find new addition and then create!

James says on January 31st, 2008 at 1:24 pm

Those look really, really cool!

Rob says on January 31st, 2008 at 1:25 pm

Pay attention to the little things that go unnoticed for the most part - the most incredible inspiration can be found right under your nose. Music is also a tremendous motivator of creative though (Andrew Byrd or The Cat Empire! Bonobo’s great too), but then again, so is silence.

Jim says on January 31st, 2008 at 1:31 pm

Do something silly. Then the mind will flow with ideas.

Keith Chadwick says on January 31st, 2008 at 1:37 pm

I agree with the suggestion to walk away and take a breather when you hit a wall. I wouldn’t say do it right away but there is a point where it becomes counter productive. Step away, take a breath, and clear your mind.

I also like to look at what others have done just for a little inspiration. It can be samples of their work or just stories of obstacles they have overcome.

Erica says on January 31st, 2008 at 1:44 pm

use a pen or marker or paintbrush that is DIFFERENT from what you usually use. Work either really BIG or really SMALL — try adding borders to constrain your work & go all the way to the edges (shake it up)

mykoleary says on January 31st, 2008 at 1:45 pm

Creative tips:
1) Collect and parse through sourcebooks as often as possible.
2) Take at least one picture every day, even if it’s just with your crappy phone-cam.
3)Look for any pay attention to patterns in life and nature.

frogcat says on January 31st, 2008 at 1:46 pm

Creativity Tips?

Well, first it’s good to have a vision of what you want to create. As vivid a vision as you can make.

It’s also good to be honest with yourself. To be clear on what you truly want to create, rather than thinking that ” this is what I SHOULD be creating.” You can’t fool yourself. So be honest with yourself, even if it’s not socially acceptable.

I also think that there’s big creativity sappers in my life, and everyone’s life. For example, I find that unproductive meetings and arguments about irrelevant crap really put my brain in a blender. I also find that browsing the internet takes my brain out of “creative” mode for a very long time. Taking steps to either minimize them, or at least work around them boosts your creativity.

The flipside, as mentioned by many others, is there’s actions that boost productivity. People have mentioned exercise, doing thing they like, etc. I’d have to agree, saying that while the things that boost your feelings of creativity may vary from individual to individual, it’s good to keep track of what works for you. One item that I haven’t seen mentioned is “actively doing nothing” In other words, purposely doing nothing. No work, no reading, no music. Just sitting there. It’s neat how I can’t stand “nothing” for too long, and I feel compelled to do something. Take that energy and go!

One last thing about being creative… Not sure what to create? MAKE IT UP! No, seriously. If you’re not sure what you want to create, just make it up.

Corey says on January 31st, 2008 at 2:05 pm

To be creative:
1.Think- the more I find myself just sitting, thinking, meditating the more creative I become, the more ideas pop into my head and then I write them down for later reference.
2.Start Young - if you don’t get into a habit of being creative, you will never be. Me being 17 see older people stuck in a rut because they are so use to their old habits to think of anything new or inivative.

aliencam says on January 31st, 2008 at 2:08 pm

really the best tip i have for creativity is to just not be embarrassed of anything. like the “list of 100″ that has been featured on here (or on lifehacker, i’m not sure) you just sometimes have to list/talk about/ think about the possibility of silly ideas before you come to a really great conclusion. try and think of how each idea can work, no matter how ridiculous, eventually that great idea will come, and you never know from what.

Nora says on January 31st, 2008 at 2:17 pm

Write three quick pages of hand-written journaling each morning.

SarahA says on January 31st, 2008 at 2:18 pm

The only tip I have is just to do it everyday. Set aside 1/2 an hour to write or paint or make music, whatever your art is, do it. This will filter into the rest of your life. The 1/2 hour will stretch to an hour and farther.

Margot says on January 31st, 2008 at 2:35 pm

The first step to doing anything creative is to stop and breathe. Whatever it is you do, sing, act, write, design, when the time comes to create something new, give yourself that little transition space. Deep breath in, leave behind what you’ve done before, deep breath out, welcoming a new opportunity.

D. Huber says on January 31st, 2008 at 2:42 pm

Read and write, in approximately equal measure.

Andrew says on January 31st, 2008 at 2:47 pm

Be creative by creating things. It’s as simple as that. Start something new.

David says on January 31st, 2008 at 2:51 pm

Drink heavily.

Jessica Ouvrard says on January 31st, 2008 at 2:52 pm

Tickle and get tickled on a regular basis.

Katie says on January 31st, 2008 at 2:54 pm

Stop telling yourself that you’re not creative. Keep your eyes open instead and constantly be on the look-out for new ideas.

Almin Surani says on January 31st, 2008 at 3:08 pm

Look at works of other creative people for inspiration (not imitation )

Try an artistic hobby that you haven’t before

Most of all, enjoy what you do

Jamie says on January 31st, 2008 at 3:28 pm

Sometimes when I am having trouble solving a problem I need to unplug and take a break. Maybe I need to do that now since I am not being very creative.

Jeffrey says on January 31st, 2008 at 3:40 pm

Experiment. Being creative is a lot easier than most believe. Creativity is not about Inherent talent or experience with the tools; it’s about making peace with failure and growing. Most, I would believe, are afraid to experiment because they never truly know what the outcome will be. What’s funny is they don’t realize that random nature of experimenting was the key to unlocking their creativity.

Being creative is, in other words, being unique. How is anyone suppose to become unique if they exhibit that same childlike mindframe that freely lets them play; or experiment.

Consentrating on experimenting has an additional plus. It gives you an ability to recognize tool limitations. As you experiment, you begin to examine the tools in a new manner, opening your mind to new possibilities. These new ways of thinking just enhances your ability to conceive of new outcomes or methods of experimentation.

From experimenting you gain an infinite number of outcomes. Just remember, some are good, and some are bad, just note the good ones, smile, and move forward.

Jeffrey says on January 31st, 2008 at 3:47 pm

(EDITS, please remove last post)

Experiment. Being creative is a lot easier than most believe. Creativity is not about Inherent talent or experience with tools; it’s about making peace with failure and adapting. Most, I would believe, are afraid to experiment because they never truly know what the outcome of what they create will be. What’s sad is they don’t realize that the random nature of experimentation was the key they needed to unlock their creativity.

Being creative is, in other words, being unique. How is anyone suppose to become unique unless they exhibit a childlike mindframe that freely lets them play; or experiment? If you notice, a child will never fear to try new things, you should follow in their footsteps.

Concentrate on experimenting and there will be an additional plus. You enhance your ability to recognize tool limitations. As you experiment, you begin to examine the tools in a new manner, opening your mind to new possibilities. These new ways of thinking just further enhances your ability to conceive of new outcomes or methods of experimentation and creation.

From experimenting you gain an infinite number of outcomes. Just remember, some are good, and some are bad, just note the good ones, smile, and move forward.

Ben Overmyer says on January 31st, 2008 at 3:52 pm

There traditionally seems to be two lines of thought regarding creativity and creative energy: that it is either static and unchanging, or that it is like a reservoir that can be drained and filled. I challenge these notions by offering a third view: that creativity is a fluid substance that continually alters its form.

Based on that idea, here are my tips for maintaining that creative energy:

1) When you hit an obstacle (such as writer’s block), don’t just hammer away at it or do something uncreative like eating a snack. Instead, shift gears totally to a different creative endeavor; if you can’t write, draw. If you can’t draw, sing. If you can’t sing, build. If you can’t build…..and so on.

2) Creative energy can’t be “drained,” but specific activities can lose their attraction when you’ve hit a stumbling point. To re-energize that activity, besides doing something else that’s creative, try associating new things with that activity; adding a new plant to your home office can aid your creativity by providing a new emotional stimulus, for example.

3) Nothing comes out of nothing. Energy does not spontaneously appear any more than matter does. If you’re having a hard time thinking up a new idea, writing the next paragraph, or choosing the right color, try altering your perception. Draw with your off hand. Take your laptop outside. Invent a crazy five-step dance, then sit down to brainstorm again.

Norris Krueger says on January 31st, 2008 at 4:00 pm

I’m amazed by people who think “creative” is limited to big things (write a sonata!) but we are creative on a small scale constantly. Be mindful of what you are doing even a wee bit differently -you might be surprised at the patterns (and the patterns you might want to change).

Cheers!

Richard says on January 31st, 2008 at 5:01 pm

I’m left handed. I pushed myself, growing up, to learn to write with my other hand. It really gets you to use both sides of your brain. If writing is too hard try brushing your teeth with your other hand.
Now I challenge myself to write backwards (mirror writing) with my left hand.

I also carry around a little notebook. There are thoughts constantly flowing through my head and most of these ideas and inspirations end up becoming nothing… I find that getting into the habit of regularly writing them down not only organizes them but clears my mind and allows me to think greater thoughts.

Noah Greenstein says on January 31st, 2008 at 5:10 pm

Creativity comes from ruthlessness.

Being thoroughly ruthless with what you have and what has been done will allow you to create something new. If there is something that is equal to your abilities, i.e. you do not have command of it, then that thing is something new, at least for you.

If you are unwilling to be ruthless then you will know that the work you are doing does not require your full attention and you will be selling yourself and your creativity short.

Darris says on January 31st, 2008 at 5:17 pm

Write, write, write. Eventually something will happen.

D. Chung says on January 31st, 2008 at 5:18 pm

Sometimes you have to set limits, conditions. Your brain works best when it has boundaries. If you give yourself too much free room, you’re liable to wander around aimlessly.

Josh Neiman says on January 31st, 2008 at 5:20 pm

This may sound a little counter-intuitive, but I keep my creativity flowing by forcing myself to do something creative for at least 30 minutes every day.

I have an hour lunch at work but I generally finish eating after 20 minutes or so; I use the rest of the time to write, draw, or do something else that spurs my mind to think outside the box. Normally there is little of actual use that comes out of these sessions besides a few doodles or ramblings, but I find that my afternoons are much more enjoyable when I stick to this routine and I’ll often be struck by a great idea for a story or drawing later in the day that I work on when I get home or have some free time at work.

It’s odd how adding that little bit of structure helps spark the mind to head outside normal boundaries.

Kevin Xu says on January 31st, 2008 at 5:42 pm

I just got my Moleskine and I am putting it to great use!

dc says on January 31st, 2008 at 5:52 pm

Not every moment will be your most creative, but just keep at it. Frustration is often the best muse.

Ram says on January 31st, 2008 at 5:59 pm

Well these wallets look great I could really put one to a very good use.

Send one my way Please.

Thanks

Hamish M says on January 31st, 2008 at 6:48 pm

Take a break. Read a book. Fiction or non-fiction, whatever you enjoy most. Creativity is a fickle thing; but be patient and it will come.

Jon says on January 31st, 2008 at 6:57 pm

rock rock rock rock rock n roll high school!

John S says on January 31st, 2008 at 6:57 pm

I LOVE DB Clay Wallets!

Joe L says on January 31st, 2008 at 7:01 pm

Go for a walk in a patch of forest small enough that you can get out simply by walking in a straight line. Wander, looking for things you might otherwise miss. Stay off of human made paths. Look under rocks and logs. Climb a tree. Set aside several hours for this, and take off your watch.

Peter says on January 31st, 2008 at 7:03 pm

Creativity isn’t magic. It’s hard work. The best way to be creative is to be disciplined about it. You’ll find that yourself doing some of your best creative work on days when you’re convinced that the well is dry.

vuzman says on January 31st, 2008 at 7:07 pm

Keep your eyes open.

Even if we might think differently, most of the time our brain is on auto-pilot. Especially when we’re out walking, our brain focuses on what’s needed to get by; traffic, other people, women etc.

Next time you’re out, stop every 20 paces, turn off the auto-pilot, and really look around.

holli jo says on January 31st, 2008 at 7:17 pm

My only tip works well for me - Try something new.

Drive a different route, hang out with a new person, do something totally unusual on a Friday night. These things stir creativity.

Sadg says on January 31st, 2008 at 7:18 pm

Spend time with your children, or just with children.

coopster says on January 31st, 2008 at 7:29 pm

I find myself extremely creative when I just sit quietly at a table with a notebook and a pencil. Exclude yourself from outside distractions ans stimuli and you can always be creative.

Jessica says on January 31st, 2008 at 7:33 pm

Don’t reject any idea that comes to mind; when you’re starting a project, brainstorm freely, without restriction. Don’t restrict yourself with perfectionism.

Brian says on January 31st, 2008 at 8:16 pm

Listen to music.

Bounce ideas off of another person.

Think of something that seems to have no relevance, and then try to link your way back to what you were thinking of.

Glenn says on January 31st, 2008 at 8:32 pm

Stand on the other side of the road.

Steven says on January 31st, 2008 at 9:37 pm

3 steps:
1. Down a double shot espresso.
2. Take a 20-minute nap.
3. Read a book OR Listen to some uplifting music OR do light exercise OR converse with a friend.

Karen Farhart says on January 31st, 2008 at 10:03 pm

I have gotten to the age where I like things that are unique, everything from my clothes to my kid’s bedrooms. I often, since I’m a scrapbooker, use some of the most unique paper designs to get ideas to decorate bedrooms. I also use them as a guide to color combination.

Another is one that has been mentioned many times. Just sit and be quiet and watch. We had a pond with ducks years ago and one day I just sat out back and watched and before I knew it I saw the ducks interacting in such a way that I could have written dialog between them. We notice so many things when we just sit and be still and look intently at things whether in nature, in the mall as people walk by, or just at home while our kids interact with each other.

James Zhao says on January 31st, 2008 at 10:04 pm

Breathe in, breathe out. Step outside. Look around you, appreciate the scene, and realize that everything is going to be okay. Destress (no matter how you do it), and get back to creativity.

Tens says on January 31st, 2008 at 11:04 pm

Look at everyday items and situations, think how could they be improved functionally or aesthetically. Soon you will find new ideas on everything.

Russell says on January 31st, 2008 at 11:13 pm

Take in more, read more, listen more, watch more, all of these things will provide more material to draw on in whatever creative endeavor.

Danielle K says on January 31st, 2008 at 11:16 pm

Do. Be. Do.

Robin says on January 31st, 2008 at 11:27 pm

1. Sleep well on it.
2. Walk, ride, exercise on it.
3. Meditate–>focus.
4. Work a little on ideas every day–Make a schedule and stick to it.
5. Take in nature–the sky, birds, trees, sun, stars, waterl, grass. The sight, smell, sound, texture. Feel it! It’s very grounding, clears and refreshes the senses, allowing for new ideas.
6. Regress-play with a child or pet–”Face life with your natural mind, not your conditioned mind”…..Open up, see things through the eyes of a child. Anything goes.
7. Take a regular technology break–turn off the phone, the PC, the TV,iPod, all technology, for a set time each day. As if the electricity went out. And breathe deeply. Allows your mind time to be open, refreshed.
8. Wind down at night before bed time, let your mind drift, pay attention to random “flashes” of new ideas and possibilities. Have a journal nearby, write down key words, not the whole idea–keep it very simple so you will make it a good habit, not a chore.
9. When you awaken and remember a dream, grab that journal, jot down key words, don’t write a novel. Many great ideas come to the mind during sleep!
10. Acknowledge and honor new ideas, no matter how silly or trivial. Again, like a child–no censorship!
11. Have fun, just plain, simple fun!

Leeza says on January 31st, 2008 at 11:37 pm

The horses are awesome!

Will says on January 31st, 2008 at 11:40 pm

1. watch cartoons
2. play with a child
3. go shoot hoops/exercise

kyle o'bannon says on January 31st, 2008 at 11:54 pm

play the superfunkycalifragisexy song “reckoner” by the radiohead gods in your car and sing as loud as you can in your very best thom yorke-esque falsetto. sure, passerbys will think your insane. that just might be the best part!

Kyle O'Bannon says on January 31st, 2008 at 11:56 pm

*you’re

Pearl Alexander says on February 1st, 2008 at 1:58 am

Do something different a little bit everyday.

Nate Berkopec says on February 1st, 2008 at 2:28 am

Listen to some Mozart and kick your chair out, forcing yourself to stand. Gets the blood flowing.

Nicole says on February 1st, 2008 at 2:31 am

Make time for creativity every day and make friends who also value it.

Richard says on February 1st, 2008 at 3:11 am

2 and only two rules:

1.Have courage.
2.Keep an open mind.

-RichardKim

Nicholai says on February 1st, 2008 at 3:52 am

Being creative, is just about puting dots together, seeing how things work and then applying that knowledge to new things, that sentence is probably rather bleak as said, but take it to mean what you want, and you will find some creativity, go ahead read it again

Lars says on February 1st, 2008 at 3:57 am

Drink lots of wine

Ty says on February 1st, 2008 at 4:14 am

Never…ever… sleeping.

Alice Fraser says on February 1st, 2008 at 4:54 am

Keep your notebook open on your lap and a pen in your hand. Meetings, movies, conversations. Whenever something flits across, butterflying past your brain grab it in the book.

Take ten minutes at the end of the day to gauge what’s worth following up.

James Marwood says on February 1st, 2008 at 7:11 am

I have 2 things I do to try and maintain creativity. The first is to keep well rested and well hydrated. Nothing slows my brain down like tiredness or dehydration.

Second is to list out the word assocuated with what I am doing and then picking 2 or more at random and making associations between them. This works well when stuck for solutions to problems

Adam Ferla says on February 1st, 2008 at 7:15 am

In my opinion you cant force creativity. Just wait for it to happen ant act then and there.

Sarvesh says on February 1st, 2008 at 7:34 am

Be Spontaneous and have fun!

Mike says on February 1st, 2008 at 8:50 am

MEN: Sleep all day; sneak into the market and buy the Star or National Enquirer AND read it cover to cover; Watch a foreign language soap opera and make up dialog as you eat bon bons in your fuzzy slippers. What? Don’t have fuzzy slippers? Get some and be eccentric for a change.

pacheco says on February 1st, 2008 at 9:10 am

As other people have mentioned, spend your time with other people who are constantly creative. It’ll inspire you and make you look bad at the same time.

Stella Commute says on February 1st, 2008 at 9:55 am

Don’t be afraid of the blank page. If you have to write something and you’re not sure how to start, just start anywhere. Many times I’ll just write down in the most basic words what I want to say, just to get a structure down. I can always go back and get more creative to make the words better but I’ll never get anything done if I don’t start somewhere.

Robert says on February 1st, 2008 at 10:34 am

1. Don’t try to be creative
2. Realy don’t try to be creative
3. Empty your Head
4. Start thinking about what you want …

Sounds easy.. but the first 3 steps are very hard

MontrealPaul says on February 1st, 2008 at 10:35 am

My personal motto: Everything in moderation, nothing in excess.

One of my favourites: Don’t sweat the petty stuff, and don’t pet the sweaty stuff!

Wm says on February 1st, 2008 at 11:55 am

Similar to some of the other comments, I suggest using food and music.

Both can help set a mood where the creative juices can kick in.

And music with lyrics can also be helpful — a word or image or phrase might be just the random trigger you need to enter the flow.

Gingembre says on February 1st, 2008 at 12:20 pm

My advice, in no particular order:

Structure, routine, help a lot. As mentioned above, if you set a specific time each day to do something creative, you will find creative ideas coming to you more and more frequently. Also, by establishing good routines (a la Flylady, GTM etc.) for your “non-creative” things in life, you will free up your mind to think of all the *good* stuff instead. Plus, who can craft something if the can’t find the materials you need at the time due to mess?

Best thing ever for me: Getting rid of the TV.

Jeremy says on February 1st, 2008 at 12:25 pm

Pay attention to the world around you.

Brian says on February 1st, 2008 at 1:15 pm

Read Thinker Toys and Cracking Creativity, two great books by Michalko.

Jahed says on February 1st, 2008 at 5:10 pm

My tip is for writers -

Write. Everyday. The creativity will come.

Jon says on February 1st, 2008 at 6:12 pm

Be half asleep. That’s when I usually am able to my best writing musically. For things that are more academic in nature, just go somewhere quiet.

Galen says on February 1st, 2008 at 7:21 pm

Creativity is generally sapped by excuses. If you want to make something, make it. You’re already using up a lot of creative energy coming up with reasons explaining to yourself why you can’t. And you’re wasting a lot of useful physical, emotional, and spiritual energy fighting with yourself about it, so as everyone else has basically said… (How not to infringe on Nike here…) um, SIMPLY MAKE IT HAPPEN. There.

Luis Marcelo says on February 1st, 2008 at 7:51 pm

For me creativity comes when I manage not to stand between a creative thought and its birth into the world. Could be in words, in actions, in choices. I just have to let the universe work, and I’m part of it. Most of the time we are not creative because we stuck and want to do things our way.
It just makes it more difficult.

James says on February 1st, 2008 at 7:53 pm

Sleep - it’s the theater of dreams - don’t worry about being creative, it’ll come. just relax and have a calm think about what you want to achieve…

Eat - don’t have all of this junk rubbish, cook decent meals, get your five-a-day and more. Healthy body, healthy mind. I know i always feel better inside and genereally have a better mentality when i’ve had a good, healthy meal - tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, spinach.. you get the idea…

Exercise - don’t be a slob, get outside and feel the wind in your hair - it doesn’t matter what you do, whether it be running, rugby or just a bit of squash - get your heart pumping…

Relax - don’t get stressed or you’ll just get in a fluster. Relax. There’s a little phrase i like - “slow down to speed up” - variations are promiscuous but they all boil down to the fact that when you’re calm, that’s when things flow…

If you can’t think of anything, try to inspire yourself - look at past examples of what you’re trying to accomplish or just doodle in what you’re trying to achieve (write random short stories if you’re a writer, doodle if you’re an artist, write a simple website if you’re a web designer), just keep your mnind ticking over until that one bit of inspiration hits you.