Mindful Creativity is one the best daily habits for our mental health and career success.
But, first let me take you on a little journey…
There’s a running joke in my family that I could “never be satisfied.” Even as a young girl, I was always looking toward the future-, the next big thing that could catapult me into success.
Things like going to university to study drama, moving to different cities around the globe, the need to take this or that program, you get the jist…
And no matter how many opportunities passed me by, I was never satisfied with the results and quickly turned my attention to the next big thing.
I didn’t realize then that in order to reach new creative heights, I would have to sit back, relax and enjoy a nice long journey to nowhere.
Yep, you read that right. It’s not the big fancy class or trip that will allow you to process your creativity more deeply. It’s simply being still.
And in a world that begs for our attention 24/7, how can we shift from this state of constant urgency to one that honors mindfulness?
First, we’ll explore what the science says on applying mindful creativity to manifest ultimate alignment in your creative passions.
WHAT’S THE SCIENCE SAYING?
Did you know it takes an average of 25 minutes to recover from a phone call?
In fact, as little as two seconds is enough for someone to space out from the task they were doing after an interruption.
The light up of of our iphones, our kids asking for a 10th snack, or even someone just asking for the time- all have a direct impact on the productivity and quality of our creative projects.
All this to say :
Just think about all the creative ideas that could manifest if we just let our imaginations run wild in the calmness a moment of stillness gives us.
We Could All Take A Lesson From Google…
Going nowhere … isn’t about turning your back on the world; it’s about stepping away now and then so that you can see the world more clearly and love it more deeply.
Pico Iyer
Google is famous for having some of the happiest employees and it’s with good reason! From things like indoor tree houses, it’s clear that they invest in eccentric activities for employees to enjoy.
But with a company that makes a billion in revenue that maintains almost 200,000 employees what’s with all the fluff?
I mean if their aim is to have the most “productive “ workplace in the world, why do they allow their employees 20% of their paid time to work on personal projects?
This 20 % of mindful creativity allowed employees to conjure up some of Google’s greatest products- Gmail, Google Maps and Adsense.
Giving true to the fact :
In our stillness, away from our desks and clutter, allows our minds to engage in creative exploration. This is where our best ideas come to light and our souls recharge.
IDEAS
Every time I take a trip, the experience acquires meaning and grows deeper only after I get back home and, sitting still, begin to convert the sights I’ve seen into lasting insights
William James
- Add a “getaway space” in our office or work area. This could be anything from some cushions centered around the window, or as elaborate as adding your favorite essential oils, candles to clear your head.
- Carve out 15-20 minutes of alone time a day
- Go on a walk without your phone
- Have a date night yourself
- Find more moments in your day to sit in silence
- Have a commute with no music or any technology
- Watch the sunrise / sunset
- Go out in nature and listen to all the different sounds
- Sit down and take deep breaths until you feel stillness in your body