Do you consider yourself a creative person?
Some of you might answer with a big HECK YES, while others might think, “Ehh, I leave that for artists or musicians…”
However, we believe that if you’re a business owner or freelancer, then YES! You 100% are creative. You have to be in order to do what you do.
Being creative isn’t about how well you can paint or if you play an instrument…it’s so much more than that.
It’s about bringing new things into the world, combining multiple ideas to create an original one, solving problems, thinking outside the box, and finding new ways to express yourself and what you do….it’s about using your imagination to fix problems and create what wasn’t there yesterday.
Now, do you believe that you’re creative? Yeah, we thought so 🙂
Fun Fact: Creativity isn’t just a natural talent that some people were born with while others weren’t. Creativity is a skill that can be improved. We just have to make space for it.
But here’s the thing: When it comes to running a business, sometimes we get so bogged down with the day-to-day responsibilities that we FORGET how important it is for us to prioritize and honor our creativity.
“With enhanced creativity, instead of problems we see potential, instead of obstacles we see opportunities, and instead of challenges, we see a chance to create solutions. Creativity is critically important in everything we do, including designing products, growing businesses, and building alliances between nations. We are literally inventing the future every moment. And these skills can be learned.” – Source
Let’s talk about creativity – why it’s important to help you grow your business AND ways to increase this skill.
Why Being Creative is Essential to Growing Your Business
Discover New Ways to Market Yourself to Your Ideal Client
As a business owner or freelancer, it’s important to market yourself in order to grow your business. Thinking creatively can help you to better tell your story and connect your services to your ideal client. That way when they come across your information, it makes their decision to hire you even easier.
Keep Your Services Fresh and Relevant
Have you ever been to an establishment or used services that felt outdated? Like, maybe the business began in the 1980s…and they are still in the 1980s? Encouraging creative thinking in the workplace allows room for your business to expand, shift, and grow with the current times and with the current problems people are facing.
Staying open and receptive to the needs of your clients and customers can help you make shifts in your business that meet your community’s wants and needs.
Innovate Something New
Whether you are looking to uplevel your business or are feeling personally uninspired, sometimes implementing a new idea can bring a lot of excitement to your – and your business’s – life.
For example, say you’re an interior designer who used to only design residential homes. However, you’ve been feeling a little unfulfilled lately. Perhaps you weave a new service into your current business plan by including design services for commercial projects.
That switch up of something new could be just the thing to get your ball rolling again.
Work Smarter, Not Harder
As we mentioned before, being creative isn’t all about creating art and music. Creative thinking is also about problem-solving.
So take stock of things in your business that is feeling like a drag. Maybe there are ways to streamline some protocols and policies?
Brainstorming ways to make things more efficient can help you stay sane while running your business.
Stay Adaptable to Challenges
Uhhg, we know, we know….bringing up the pandemic is such a mood crusher right now. But, real quick, bear with us. Remember, the spring and summer of 2020…and all the changes and uncertainty that came with it?
As a society, we all had to adapt to those very real, very fast-happening demands of pandemic safety protocols. Many business owners were forced to think creatively in order to adapt their business to fit into those societal demands.
While we don’t hope for another 2020, life is going to continue to throw challenges our way. The best way to tackle those obstacles is to be quick on our feet and creatively flex our way through them.
How to Tap into Your Side Creative
Take Time to Play
Playtime isn’t just for kids. It is also a really important thing for adults to do, too. It might just look a little different than playing with dolls or cars…or maybe not – we’re not here to judge!
In a previous post, we talked about the importance of taking time away from your business in order to prevent burnout, decrease stress, and lead a well-rounded, fulfilling life.
A great way to free up brain space to allow for creative thinking is to take time off and play. If you need ideas for fun things to do around Columbus, click here.
Whether it’s going to the zoo or enjoying an outdoor concert, taking time to decompress will allow you to feel fresh and creative when you’re ready to get back to it.
Free Write or Journal
Journaling can be a very helpful way to process ideas, thoughts, and emotions…which in turn can free up space in our minds to focus on what’s important to us.
Sometimes using journal prompts to help get you going is great. If you think that would work for you, perhaps buy a prompted journal or print out some journal prompts to have on hand.
Another popular technique, especially for those looking to dive into their creativity, is to Free Write, which basically means to just spill your heart out on the page. Keep the pen on the paper and whatever pops into your mind goes onto the page.
Author and artist, Julia Cameron, is a go-to resource when it comes to tapping into your creativity. In her book, The Artist’s Way, she describes the journaling process as The Morning Pages – a technique that is supposed to help quiet your inner critic and allows your true thoughts, dreams, and wants to make themselves known. The concept is simple – wake up and write at least three pages. Every. Single. Morning. Wow!
Whether you find yourself following The Morning Pages technique or hit the page just every now and then, we can guarantee writing out some thoughts will help keep your mind clear and focused.
Get Moving
Exercise and movement are a great way to free the creative spirit. With the increase of blood flow and oxygen to the brain, a boost of endorphins, and a stress management technique, who wouldn’t want to go for a walk?
When it comes to exercise, it’s important to find something that you will enjoy doing. If you don’t enjoy it, not only is it less likely that you will continue to do it but also you probably won’t reap the intended benefits.
Do the Dishes
Okay, we know doing the dishes is the LAST thing you want to do when you’re on a deadline to present a great idea.
However, there is science behind great ideas coming when we least expect it…such as when doing the dishes, mowing the lawn, or washing our hair. When our body is executing mindless activities that we do on a daily basis, it takes the pressure off the brain to focus so hard.
“In other words, a distraction may provide the break you need to disengage from a fixation of the ineffective solution.” – Source
Follow Your Instincts
Have you ever thought, “Oh wow, it would be really cool to start brewing homemade beer?” or “Hmm, I want to learn a new language!”…but then immediately think, “Uhh, that’s silly. I am too busy. What a ridiculous idea.” And then poof, you move on?
If you are constantly pushing down ideas that pop into your head, you could be training the neural pathways in your brain to stop coming up with new ideas.
While not every single thought can turn into a reality, some most certainly can. So follow your instincts and see where it takes you.
Looking to build your business AND tap into your creativity?
Haven can help
Don’t let running a business run your life. Haven Collective is not only a place for people to collect and get work done, it is a community that fosters professional success and personal fulfillment.
With a Haven membership, you’ll gain access to our Resource Collection. The Resource Collection is stocked with content surrounding not only business topics, but also wellness tips, such as access to meditations, yoga, and more. Every personal and professional development event adds to our growing collection too, so you never miss an ounce of information that could help you grow and feel more creative.
By joining Haven, you will commit not only to taking care of your business but to taking care of the star of the show – YOU.
If you are looking to build your business AND focus on your personal development, click below to see if Haven Collective is the next step for you!