10 Ways to Boost Creativity by Doing Less

If you feel like you’ve been spinning your wheels without getting anywhere lately, it may be time to stop working so hard. By actually doing less, you may free up some mental and physical space, allowing your creativity to bloom and making your days more productive (and less stressful). When your life is filled to overflowing with things, events and to-dos, the busyness tends to crowd out calm, contemplation and creativity. Here are 10 ways to make a positive change.

1. Think less. When you have a million things on your mind, it is impossible to focus on just one. Practice taking a mindful minute to refocus yourself at certain intervals each day. Using a routine you already do as a cue (like making tea) can make it much easier to remember to do this. You don’t need any special equipment or skills to practice mindfulness — simply focus on your breathing and notice your thoughts as they occur, without holding on to any of them.

2. Take fewer photos. When you can snap dozens of photos with your digital camera in a few seconds, it’s easy to accumulate way too many not-great shots. Why not try focusing your mind on what exactly it is you want to capture before shooting, and limit yourself to a single shot at a time? Restraining yourself will help sharpen your eye, resulting in better photographs over time.

3. Spend less time at your desk. Raise your hand if you spend a lot of time at your desk daydreaming, shopping online and reading blogs (basically, doing anything but work). If that’s you, don’t beat yourself up — we all do it! It’s not natural for your body to stay seated and your mind to stay focused on one task for hours at a time. Get up, go outside, take a walk, make some tea or call a friend. Do something different to shake things up, and you can return to your desk refreshed and ready to get to work.

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10 Ways to Boost Creativity by Doing Less