People tend to put a face to creativity. Defining it as something only certain people have, for instance, those arty folk who live and breathe their paintings. To begin this how-to blog, we’d like to get something clear: this is not the case.

Creativity can be found everywhere and in everyone. What’s more, every job, hobby or past-time can involve it. If you’re looking at how to be more creative, we’ve compiled a few tips that’ll brighten your creative spark.

Make time for it

Making time for creativity can actually help you to be more creative. Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way, champions a daily practice called Morning Pages. This, in essence, involves writing a stream of consciousness first thing in the morning, every morning.

You may have heard the saying: creativity is like a muscle – the more you use it, the stronger it will become. Well, this is true. Having set habits, like Cameron’s Morning Pages, means that you are making time for your creativity and working on it. Put simply, developing practices that allow you to use your creativity on a regular basis will strengthen it.

Drench yourself in inspiration

Being creative doesn’t mean sitting alone fighting the concept of it, trying to produce something great. Inspiration is key, and how you find this is by taking yourself out of your comfort zone and looking for it. Go to museums or poetry readings, listen to music or read.

You don’t just have to stick within your creative field, either. Creativity crosses borders. If you’re a writer, for example, and suffering from writer’s block, watching live music or cooking something from scratch can reignite your creativity. Essentially, doing something new, or creatively different, is great fuel for sparking fresh ideas.

Reconnect with your inner child

“The world calls them its singers and poets and artists and storytellers; but they are just people who have never forgotten the way to fairyland.” – Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery

Like this quote attests, before we dive into a creative life, we must first reconnect with our inner child. Treat yourself to an afternoon of colouring – and, no, you don’t have to keep within the lines – build a fort, run around, do what you loved to do as a child. All kids have such remarkable imaginations and thinking like one can inspire out-of-box thoughts.

Give yourself deadlines

Nobody likes a deadline, but giving yourself one can trigger your creativity to get into gear. You could either plan to have something to show for your day or set a timer. Knowing you have a deadline means that you’ll look for inspiration closer to home and quicker, and once the deadline has been achieved, you’ll feel awash with a sense of achievement.

Put your phone away

This point actually works well with the above-mentioned point, as distractions are a burden and can affect deadlines. It’s so tempting though, when you’re struggling to create, to reach for your phone and, before you know it, you’re distracted and down some rabbit hole.

We’re not suggesting locking yourself away, but the ability to focus is important, and any easy distractions, like your phone, should be put out of temptations way. After all, creative breakthroughs tend to happen after we’ve committed sufficient attention.

How to be more creative

If you’re looking to be more creative, know this: in order to be able to utilise it at will, you need to use it often and in many different ways. Creativity should be something you aim to weave into your life. But, above all, be sure to make time for it, seek new avenues of inspiration, reconnect with your inner child, but also give yourself deadlines and put away distractions. Cultivating creativity is a process, but also a limitless, empowering journey to a more creative you.