“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while.”

Steve Jobs

When was the last time you felt like you had an aha moment and felt creative?

Do you ever stop and wonder how much technology is dictating everything you do without you having to think about it? Do you recognise yourself in these scenarios?

1. Your GPS is giving you directions on how to drive to a destination with you just following the instructions given to you blindly. Can you relate to arriving at the wrong destination because you were not paying attention to the directions given to you?

2. Your favorite cooking apps are giving you daily recipes instead of you thinking about what you would like to eat with seasonal and locally grown ingredients. When was the last time you cooked your favorite dish without the use of an App?

3. And how about having your smartphone recommending words for you when you are sending a text (just in case you forgot what you were going to say)? How often is the auto-correction typing in the wrong word and you are still sending the text without noticing it?

A creative mindset is something we need to train our brain on daily so that it helps us in the different challenges we face every day at home, work, as a parent or a business leader.

Creativity is the use of imagination or original ideas to create something. It starts in early childhood when you discover the 5 senses (sight, sound, smell, taste and touch) and develops as you are exposed to different experiences. Creativity is triggered without you even knowing it when you explore the world, learn about new cultures, discover your surroundings, learn how others do things differently. When we are children, we do things with our gut instinct, says things like they are, and live in an imaginary world that allows us to be creative and shape our personality.

Creativity will help you be better at solving any problem you may be facing but also allowing you to grow as an individual. We have all had to get creative this year with Covid-19 appearing out of nowhere. While this may have been challenging, it’s important to continue to develop your creativity.

Here are a couple of idea on how to develop creativity:

1. Set time aside to be creative
Set 15 minutes aside 3 times to do something creative. This can include writing, drawing, learning something new, discovering a new place or just envisioning something that makes you happy. Dreaming is also a form of creativity.

2. Put aside technology until 10:00 every day
Technology is distracting us all time and many studies have shown that our brains were not developed to multi-task. In order to be creative and ready to solve problems during the day, our mind needs to be clear and organised. Create a morning routine for yourself that includes learning something new through a podcast or reading an article on a topic that interest you. It will inspire you and get your creativity going.

3. Be open-minded
Even if you think being creative is not in your DNA, you would be surprised at what giving you the space to be creative can do. The best ideas come out of the strangest circumstances and without you expecting it.

Share your creativity
When you have a new idea, share it with those close to you, test it and adapt it to bring it out in the world.

There is no judging on creativity, it’s the best way to bring out your personality and be yourself. Try it out!