“Creativity, as has been said, consists largely of rearranging what we know to find out what we do not know. Hence, to think creatively, we must be able to look afresh at what we normally take for granted.” – George Kneller

Generating new ideas and creative thinking seems to be a natural talent of some people, but what about all the rest who struggle to become “creative types”?

If you do not belong to that “born-to-be creative” type, there are practical skills and methods that will enable you to explore the creative part of your “right brain” and bring a new innovative viewpoint, fast problem-solving and comfortable change-handling.

BRAINSTORMING

Generating ideas in a Group or by yourself through brainstorming is often more productive and much more amusing.  The more you practice brainstorming, the better results you get, and if you work in a team, you synchronize better.  Team brainstorming requires virtues such as ensuring equality, lack of criticism, cultivate team spirit.

There are different approaches to brainstorming:

Use associative brainstorming techniques to get unstuck thus get out of a routine.

Associative brainstorming helps you overpass ideas that look obvious and gain hours of work. Associative brainstorming serves better copywriters and creativity exercises.

Word Storm, Word Association, Mind Mapping, Word Banks, Visual Association, are some of the tools you can try when you need Inspiration.

Use Measurable Brainstorming to pick-up the most suitable solution.

When you need something concrete, then problem-solving ideas step in. You write down the pros & cons and see where the balance rests. The alternative with the most “pros” is the road to go.

Generate an entirely new perspective by looking at things from a different view.

When you know you are on the right path but just not able to adjust it, see things from a new perspective works.

Ask “what if…” think “out of the box” or ask questions to make up your mind.

The heart of brainstorming is Linus Pauling’s point that “most ideas are not very good.  So the best way to have a good idea is to generate lots of ideas, then discard the impractical and inappropriate ideas”.

RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTION

Α lot of ink has spilt, and many placements have been written about how the two hemispheres of our brain work.

• The left hemisphere is responsible for controlling the right side of the body and is the more academic and logical side, while
• The right hemisphere is responsible for monitoring the left side of the body and is the more artistic, innovative and creative side

There does seem to be evidence, that doing physical activities that engage the imaginative areas of the brain, this can help one think differently.

Painting or building something in 3-Dimensions is a simple way to do this. You do not have to be a painter; for this approach, the activity is the tool, not the precise form at the end.

Another way of tackling the creative side of the brain is to make something, perhaps out of balloons, or old cardboard boxes, or even Lego. Many people also find that doing jigsaw puzzles is an excellent way to get some creative thinking time.

Making something with your hands, and engaging your conscious mind, can often allow your subconscious to get to work on the big stubborn problem.

Creative thinking process can lead to an unexpected outcome.  Do not through away ideas that seem crazy, funny, or not fit straight away.  Have them in mind as alternatives and think what will happen if you use them.  Open-minded people are the most crucial factor for creative thinking.

 As Albert Einstein said: “Creativity is intelligence having fun”