Are you creative? Would you like to be more creative?

Do you know nurturing your creativity is not only good for your emotional outlook, but it is also a good career move?

Far from being a perk of artists and musicians, free-flowing creativity is essential to your well-being and carries over into your career. Actively seeking out ways to boost your creativity can actually help your career by giving you a new perspective on everything from interpersonal communication to caring for patients.

Being creative means you are always looking at something with a fresh perspective. Creative people seek out several solutions to a single problem and that approach helps them accept new ideas.

A nurse who is creative is open to new approaches. So if your patient won’t commit to exercising three times a week, maybe you can figure out a plan that includes mall walking or gardening. Creativity helps you work with, not against, a patient’s cultural traditions and expectations to find solutions that are not only pleasing to everyone, but also will be followed.

How can you boost your creativity?

1. Be Curious

Start ramping up your creativity by becoming more curious about things around you. Do you drive by the same street and wonder what’s at the other end? Do you ever check it out yourself? Drive down the road and see what you find. Have you always wanted to know more about the fall of Rome? Start reading up on the subject. Becoming more creative starts with honoring your natural curiosity and following up on it by putting in a little effort.

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2. Try Something New

Being in a rut is a sure-fire creativity buster. Dare to change it up! When you try something new, your brain has to work harder and you’re likely to learn. But you shouldn’t just try to squish a new experience into your normal breakneck schedule. Don’t try a new activity or take a new route when you’re in a rush. Give yourself time to enjoy something new so you reap the benefits.

3.  Get Engrossed

Of course, you work with your hands every day, but maybe doing something different with your hands, like making jewelry, working on puzzles, woodworking, cooking, or gardening, could bring you to a new state of relaxation. What about singing, public speaking, or even raising chickens? Finding something so engrossing that you lose track of time is a great way to let your mind roam freely. When your mind has the time and freedom to loosen up, some of the best (and most creative) thoughts can come.

4. Spend Time with People Unlike You

Do you visit the same restaurants, eat lunch with the same friends, and visit the same stores? All of those activities build a feeling of community and nurture your sense of belonging. But to get out of your comfort zone – traveling to a funky art show in the city or visiting a farm in the country – can help stir new thoughts. You don’t have to ditch what’s familiar, but interacting with new people helps you grow and can inspire you.

What are some new ways you can boost your creativity?

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Julia Quinn-Szcesuil
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