According to Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman in a July 19, 2010 article in Newsweek, about half of the common techniques used to develop creativity don’t work. They are supported by University of Oklahoma professor Michael Mumford, who in his words, claimed that programs which relied on “imagination exercises, expressions of feelings, or imagery” were useless. These programs support the notion that all someone has to do is let your own natural creativity out of its shell when, in truth, it has to be nurtured.
So, what can someone do to heat up the creative burners? Here are some suggestions put forth by Bronson and Merryman:
1. Don’t tell someone to be “creative.” It only causes them to freeze up. Instead tell them to “come up with an idea that no one else would think of.”
2. Reduce screen time. Each hour of screen time represents a drop of 11% in creative activities. It’s far better for kids (and adults) to engage in play time and art projects.
3. Increase physical activity. Exercise improves almost every aspect of cognitive function and the boost after 30 minutes of exercise lasts for up to two hours. Can’t find a solution to a problem? Take a long walk. (To the refrigerator and back a dozen times doesn’t count)
4. Pursue areas of passion. Dabbling in many interests is not as beneficial for creative problem solving as dedicating one’s attention to an area of high interest. Passion enables an individual to work past obstacles.
5. Take a break from one creative project to work on another. Switching between tasks actually gets more done in a shorter amount of time than completing one before going onto the other.
6. Explore other cultures. Cross-cultural experiences force people to adapt and be more flexible. (And it might just develop tolerance and understanding in the process.)
A Thousand Plates Spinning 