Photo by Freysteinn G. Jonsson on Unsplash.
In 18th-century Italy, the monarchy tasked a team of engineers with diverting water from the mountains to Caserta Palace in the valley. The challenge was using pre-industrial construction techniques (no software simulations or heavy-duty excavators) to build an aqueduct with such precise angles that the water flowed regularly. The result was the Caroline Aqueduct, a 23-mile masonry masterpiece that still works today.
We all have the potential to dream up creative solutions to difficult problems, whether massive feats of engineering or more everyday tasks like uniting a team with disparate personalities or getting social media posts approved by Legal in time for them to remain relevant.
The hard part is having the creative mindset to find solutions.
Unlocking creativity in a work environment is not as simple as investing in a walking desk or offering team yoga sessions, although it might include those things. More generally, workday creativity comes from balancing structured time with free thought and being open to new methods for getting brain juices flowing.
Science supports mindful mind-wandering
A recent literature review of studies on mindfulness and creativity uncovered a positive correlation between the two. Although mindfulness has its roots in Eastern spiritual traditions, it has become secularized as a meditative practice of being fully aware of one’s circumstances and thoughts without interacting with them. Practicing mindfulness can combat stress, distraction, and self-censoring to create a state of open-minded thinking ideal for creativity.
However, the relationship between mindfulness and creativity is more complicated than it first appears. Types of meditation influence creativity differently and, in some cases, impede it. The question also boils down to the definition of creativity—is it enhancing analytic thought, remaining open to “Aha!” experiences, or a combination of the two?
One study found that creative writers who practiced deliberate mind-wandering, aka “mindful mind-wandering,” nurtured their creativity. Mindful mind-wandering lands in between daydreaming and brainstorming. It’s developing an awareness of thought while being able to isolate creative ideas.
Cultivating a meditative practice takes time, mental space, and commitment. However, it can pay off in more creative thought.
The underrated value of getting started
In addition to mindful mind-wandering, another solution to nurturing workday creativity is simply launching into one’s work. In The War of Art, author Steven Pressfield discusses the relationship between work and creative thought. He writes:
“When we sit down and work, we become like a magnetized rod that attracts iron filings. Ideas come. Insights accrete.” (p.108)1
This idea feels counterintuitive, but it fits the scientific conclusions above. Even if we’re producing nothing publishable or PowerPoint-worthy, starting to work on a project can get the gears of our brains going in a deliberate direction—triggering creative thoughts.
Other writers, such as Steven King, also talk about the value of structure and non-productive work in creativity. In On Writing, King describes his daily writing routine. Every morning, King shuts himself in his office, turns on music, and writes. Eventually, the creativity flows, and work gets done. In some ways, this is very much like cultivating a meditative practice. Showing up and giving your brain space to think can cultivate creativity.
Finding the approach that works
King has structured time for his writing, but he also uses more intuitive creative practices to refine his stories. After morning writing sessions, King would spend afternoons on long walks. During his walks, he would think through what he had written—giving him material for the following day.
Researchers have found correlations between walking and creativity. There is a famous story of an Irish mathematician who came up with the idea of time as a 4th dimension during a daily walk. Now, mathematicians gather to commemorate his walk regularly.
Besides walking, here are a few other practical ideas to kickstart workday creativity:
- Improve your mood by doing something you enjoy, such as playing with your dog or exercising. A natural mood-boasting activity can activate the chemicals correlated with creativity.
- Set limits to your brainstorming or problem-solving sessions. In some situations, the pressure of having a limit can unleash creative thought.
- Talk. Honest conversations with colleagues and coworkers create a space for fresh ideas.
Whether starting a meditative practice, walking, or sitting down to work at a specific time, fostering creativity looks different for everyone and may vary by season or day.
Becoming unstuck
I initially felt less creative after moving my home office from a room with a window overlooking the street into the basement. Freshly painted dove-white walls replaced the more interesting view of dog walkers, birds, and blue sky. But the creativity has returned since I started writing diligently in this new space. Turns out it wasn’t the view that inspired fresh ideas—it was sitting down to work.
When we’re stuck, it can be hard to think anything can change. But just trying something new with the hope of finding a way forward is the first step to a more creative workday.
Interested in working with writers who practice creativity and understand its value in the workplace? Let’s talk today.
1Pressfield, Steven. The War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle. Black Irish Entertainment, 2002.