These are scientific ways to boost your creativity and problem solving skills.  They are all simple and based upon the results of controlled experiments.  They may seem silly or strange, but they are proven to work.

Priming is a technique where you think about something or create some environmental cue that will alter your subsequent performance.  Seeing a design where one item stands out as different or thinking about creative types will significantly impact your creative output.

• Spend a moment thinking about the typical traits of artists or musicians to increase creativity.
• Spend a moment thinking about the typical traits of a professor, scientists, or mathematicians to increase problem solving ability.
• Put a design like this on your computer background or print it off and hang it up so you are peripherally aware of it.  You can use whatever designs you like but make sure you you make something stand out as a contrast and use positive colors like green, blue, orange, and yellow.  Avoid red and black.

Creativity Booster

• Think for a few moments about what problem you are trying to solve or what you are trying to create.  Then, for a little while (5 to 15 minutes) do something that totally consumes and distracts your brain such as a Sudoku puzzle.  Then go back to your problem and write down any ideas that come to mind.
• Work in an area with a window that looks out on trees, grass, gardens, or other natural environments.
• Do your creative work in a natural setting outside.
• Place a plant or flowers on your desk.
• Expose yourself to bright hues of the colors green, orange, yellow, or beige.  Avoid red and dark colors.
• Do anything to relax such as soothing music, breathing, meditation.
• While working put your hand on the table or other object and gently pull towards you.  You don’t need to pull hard enough to move anything.
• Expose yourself to novel ideas, information, experiences.
• Lie down instead of sitting or standing up.

What do YOU think?  Leave a comment and join the conversation.

Tagged as: creative thinking, creativity