41 Simple Ways to Make Yourself More Creative

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Ideas
By Eric Barker
Barker is the author of Barking Up The Wrong Tree

Here’s what the scientific research says:

  • Travel.
  • Or just expose yourself to other cultures.
  • Or stay where you are and learn their language.
  • Don’t surround yourself with the color red, stick to blue.
  • Get rejected.
  • Buy a potted plant.
  • Give the problem to someone else.
  • Or pretend you’re solving problems for someone else.
  • Or pretend you’re a child.
  • Think about love, not sex.
  • Take a break.
  • And stop being so hard on yourself.
  • Smile.
  • Or frown while happy.
  • But either way, be happy.
  • Or a bit paranoid.
  • Follow Jeremy Dean’s 6 steps.
  • Add a little background noise.
  • Team up with both old friends and strangers.
  • And people who don’t know what they’re doing.
  • But you should work toward becoming an expert.
  • Don’t be too original.
  • Stop brainstorming.
  • Take a shower.
  • Stop trying so hard.
  • Watch Shrek.
  • Do the unexpected.
  • Dance.
  • Look at the Apple logo.
  • Get drunk.
  • Stay up all night.
  • Hang out with sarcastic people.
  • Do everyday things in unconventional ways.
  • Play video games.
  • Have hope.
  • Get some distance.
  • Turn it into a competition.
  • Don’t get paid.
  • Let that mind wander (but be careful.)
  • Work from home.
  • Still not Picasso? Here are 29 more ways.

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    This piece originally appeared on Barking Up the Wrong Tree.

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