A Quick And Simple Way To Boost Creativity

Every human being is creative, and everyone has the potential to become more creative. There are times when all of us feel a bit of a lull in our creative fire; life gets busy, family and work demands pull us in every direction, and we don’t have the headspace or the time to develop our creative minds.

But, don’t give up. There is something very simple that all of us can fit into our days in order to boost our creativity and find a sense of clarity: move our bodies!

Many people exercise for physical health, and experience the additional benefit of improved mental health. People often report feeling happier and more able to handle the challenges that are thrown their way immediately after exercise. You don’t have to go for a ten mile run or an intense spin class to benefit from the creative movement that’s associated with physical movement, though.

A walk — whether it’s a lovely muddy countryside walk, or a walk to the shops or the school gates — could make more of a difference than you might think.

Researchers at Stanford University set about to explore the effects of walking on creativity, and the findings of their study were extremely positive. They used a number of cognitive tests to explore how the simple act of walking changed brain function and mood, and found that walking more than doubled the creative output of their participants.

It’s not surprising, really; think about how you feel when you’ve been sitting down all day. Perhaps a little fuzzy and tired, and uninspired. Your body is static so your mind slows down, too.

And then think about how you feel when you move your body. You could try it right now: stand up and stretch your arms up overhead, and then fold forwards and touch the ground (bend your knees if you need to). Repeat this a few times, moving slowly. Find the full range of motion of your shoulders as you reach up, and allow your head to be heavy each time you fold down.

Do you feel different? Has this simple movement changed your state of mind?

Anthropologist Tim Ingold writes about walking as an integral part of being a social and creative human; walking, and moving in general, are as much a part of our method of thinking and feeling as anything else. So when you’re feeling uninspired, get up and out, and go for a walk — you never know what problems you might solve on foot.

If you have found this article helpful then please let me know by leaving a comment below! Until next time thanks for stopping by and visiting Acting Pure!

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