How to Creatively Solve Problems?

If you’ve come here and wish to learn how to creatively solve problems you’re in the perfect place! Or in the off chance your not sure and want to know why you can do so here. 

P.S Go right to the bottom for some covid-19 inspired creative innovations. 

This is where we go through ways you can start causing your brain to think creatively. 

First step – think when was your last creative thought? Not sure? 

Then here are some great ways to get the creative juices  flowing: 

– Step out of your comfort zone – this could be as simple as reading something outside of your industry such as blogs, news or books. 

– Exercise! This is great for a number of reasons for reach has also shown that people who exercise whilst thinking of a task come up with more possible solutions to a problem.

– Ambient noise (background music) – proven to create the perfect environment for creative thinking and promote broader thinking. 

– Change your location –  studies have shown changing your surroundings helps massively when thinking creatively – this could be just sitting on the toilet, spending some time in the garden/ park or enjoying a long walk with a notepad. 

– Do a ‘bad idea’ brainstorm!

Just right down every single idea that comes to your mind – no critiquing – just pure brain unloading – the more you do this the better you’ll get.

– Being sleepy – I know I know sounds odd – but artists are known throughout history to take advantage of this period when your just waking up – it’s known as the hypnopompic state.

Just add a few of those a day to your routine and you may start to see a difference. 

P.S Silence actually helps to sharpen your focus which is useful for detail-oriented tasks. 

Remember creative problem solving isn’t easy. It’s a challenging thought process that gives results you would otherwise not thought of! 

This isn’t a skill your born with its a trait which can be honed through habit. 

To help you rewire your mind here are some easy tricks you can start implementing: 

1. Mindful observation – Try focusing on areas you want to make improvements and look for patterns, connections and the relationship between things. See how things ‘click’ together. 

2. Change your environment – not just go for a walk but what your sat around as well. Did you know blue is often considered for boosting creativity? 

3. Be curious! Dig into something new and search for answers – this will open your mind to new possibilities.

4. Incorporate ‘Design thinking’ – It starts with empathy – understand what your end-user wants – their constraints and desires – it also allows to become comfortable with testing and failure 

5. Practice creating! – Sounds obvious right? But seriously even if it’s just 10 minutes a day just do something creative 

6. Daydream!  – research has shown by actively daydreaming you cause your mind to not wonder as much. It can also boost creativity as well! 

One example who clearly embraces this aspect of themselves is… 

Gwyenth Paltrow and her Candles…aha!

Now I’m not personally a fan but clearly there are a lot of people who are…

Nonetheless, it shows just by throwing any idea together you may find something that had never occurred to you before. 

So go on – you know you can do it!

Be curious 

Practice daily

Empathise 

Daydream

Step outside your comfort zone! 

See how things ‘click’ together!

Let me know how you’re going to start being creative

I hope this helps you start to solve problems creatively and provides some value to your daily life. 

If you ever have any questions on this or actually have a problem which needs solving yourself please feel free to reach out to me @ oliver@olivera28.sg-host.com or on my LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivergallen/

P.S As promised here are some awesome creative ideas inspired by covid-19: 

– Lidle – Uses online chatbot so customers can find the quietest time to come. 

I feel like gyms could 100% benefit from this too!

– Socially distancing pool noodles – used in a cafe. Also Burger king did something similar with their massive 2m hat.

– Virtual Holidays – want to get away but can’t? Some apps/ games have made it so you can!

– Drive-in concerts/ cinemas – connect the sound to your car audio and turn it up as loud as you want  

There have been some fantastic inventions out there, however also some rather peculiar ones which in honesty I can’t see catching on: