Cultivating creativity
“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” Maya Angelou
Do you consider yourself creative? You may ask yourself, “What characteristics do I think are important to think creatively?” “Why do you think it’s essential to think creatively for personal or professional growth?” From reading the evidence-based literature on creativity, I learned that it is a skill that can be learned.
According to Cognizant’s Center for the Future of Work TM, “Don’t underestimate human imagination or ingenuity. Our greatest quality is our curiosity” (November 2017).
According to Inc. (https://www.inc.com/larry-kim/9-ways-to-become-more-creative-in-the-next-10-minutes.html) here are some tips for cultivating creativity:
• Doodle something
• Sign up for a class in something you’ve never done before
• Create the right environment
• Pause the brainstorming and move your body
• Start a sketchbook
• Keep toys on your desk
• Engage in flash fiction
• Try the 30 circles test (check out Tim Brown’s TED Talk which discusses creativity and play: https://www.ted.com/talks/tim_brown_tales_of_creativity_and_play)
• Role-play away
This issue of WORK has 30 papers six of which address COVID-19 and work.
The Editor’s Choice paper is, Mindfulness as a tool for reducing stress in healthcare professionals: An umbrella review authored by La Torre et al. The authors “carry out an umbrella review of systematic and narrative reviews on the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in reducing stress and improving well-being in HCPs [health care practitioners] and health care students.” The results of the review indicated that mindfulness-based stress reduction courses and other mindfulness-based interventions were potentially effective in reducing stress. Returning to creativity, I think that mindfulness can cultivate creativity and perhaps creativity might help with reducing stress. I welcome hearing your thoughts on this topic.
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Best regards,
Karen Jacobs
Founding Editor, WORK
Occupational therapist & ergonomist
Kjacobs@bu.edu
workjournal.org
blogs.bu.edu/kjacobs/
