Are you able to boost your creativity when under pressure? If so, then you can certainly relate to other people who find that when they procrastinate and save tasks for the last minute, their best work is produced. How I wish that were true of me years ago during my long hours when I felt like an hourglass, with the sand as a metaphor for my creativity. As time ran out to get things done, so did my ability to tackle things in unique and creative ways.
Since most of us don’t have the wait-till-the-last-minute-for-the-best-work gene (not to be confused with the too-lazy-to-get-something-done-now gene) we need to develop ways to foster creativity even as pressure levels go up.
Here are 7 techniques to boost your creativity that have helped give my creativity a nudge when my back is up against the wall.
#1 Meditation
I’m not suggesting you sit in the corner of your office with your legs crossed and start chanting, but taking a few minutes of quiet mindfulness is all you need to recalibrate things. I urge you to consider doing this even when you’re not facing deadlines. With enough practice, you can train yourself to shift your mental state rather quickly.
#2 Step Away and Get Active
There are stories of John F. Kennedy taking everyone out of the “War Room” during the Cuban Missile Crisis for 20 minutes to throw a football around the grounds of the White House. Why? The fate of the world was in these people’s hands, but he knew that taking a mental break and getting the blood pumping would help them be at their best when they returned to work.
#3 Look for a Conversation
I’m not talking about chatting about the weather. Find someone who is a genuinely thought-provoking person and engage them in a thought-provoking conversation. Sometimes the thing you need to get your mind going is the help of someone else,
even if they don’t know they’re providing it!
#4 What Have Others Done?
Unless you’re in charge of plotting the first manned mission to Venus, odds are you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. How did others handle similar problems and projects in the past? It’s not about copying them but looking at what others have done can be the trigger you need to get your thoughts flowing.
#5 Get Out of Your Element
You’ve got a laptop. Get out of the office. Sit in the park, at the beach or in a coffee shop. If those four walls and a subpar view from your office feel like they’re sucking the creativity out of you, get out of there! A change of environment can spark creativity, even when the clock is ticking.
#6 Focus
What is happening around you that’s distracting you? Close your email window. Put down the phone. Your Facebook feed will be there later. Turn off the music or podcast in the background. Creativity needs space and it flows better when there is less stimulation, not more. Step away from your devices!
#7 Ditch the Negative
You’re facing a deadline. You’re stressed. You’re having a creative block and…you’re carrying a few extra pounds, your Amazon order is delayed, it’s raining, and you need to get the car inspected. It’s easy to start heaping on the negative once you go down that road.
Stop!
Pause and focus only on what’s right in front of you and you may be surprised how the creativity reemerges.
Have a few of these techniques at the ready as results may vary. Remember that you will get through, you’ll do a great job and this too will pass.
If YOU are ready to jumpstart your creativity while under pressure and want some expert guidance, let’s have a conversation. Only if you feel ready, contact me to schedule a complimentary consultation at http://maricarmenpizarro.com/contact-mari-carmen/
