Five Ways to Boost Your Creativity (That Actually Work)
Let's be real— staying creative when your day is packed with emails, deadlines, and that (somehow still growing?) pile of laundry can feel impossible. Trust me, I've been there, staring at my blank screen or blank canvas, wondering where all my good ideas went.
But here's the thing: creativity isn't some magical power that only strikes when you're sitting in a perfectly lit studio wearing your lucky socks. It's more like a muscle that you can flex throughout your day.
Here are five ways I've found to keep the ideas coming, even when life gets super hectic.
You know that peaceful moment right after you wake up, before your phone starts buzzing with notifications? That's creative gold right there.
Instead of immediately diving into your inbox, try spending just five minutes doing something that sparks your interest.
Sometimes I'll read a few pages of whatever weird book I'm into at the moment, or listen to a podcast episode about ancient Roman cooking techniques (yes, really).
It doesn't matter what it is — the point is to wake up your brain with something interesting rather than jumping straight into work mode.
Quick tip: I keep a small notebook by my bed to jot down any random thoughts or questions that pop up during these morning moments. Half of them make no sense later, but sometimes they turn into amazing ideas.
Okay, I'm not suggesting you need to go bungee jumping on your lunch break.
But changing up your routine, even in tiny ways, can work wonders for creativity.
I started doing this when I realized I was taking the exact same route to work every day, probably looking at my phone the whole time. Now I try to mix it up at least once a week, and it's amazing what you notice when you break out of autopilot.
Actually look at things Like, really look.
I've started playing this game where I pick one random object each day and try to notice everything about it. Yesterday it was my houseplant (turns out it has tiny patterns on its leaves I'd never noticed before, despite owning it for two years).
This one might sound obvious, but when was the last time you really paid attention to the details around you?
The weird pattern of cracks in the sidewalk, the way light hits your coffee cup in the morning, the sound your cat makes right before she's about to knock something off your desk.
Remember when you were a kid and would spend hours building something just for fun?
That pure creative energy doesn't have to disappear just because you're a grown-up with a mortgage now.
Give yourself permission to mess around with no goal in mind. Doodle during phone calls. Try using your non-dominant hand to draw. Write a ridiculous story about your coffee maker coming to life.
End your day with a quick creative check-in.
Before you crash into bed, take just a minute to think about what caught your eye today.
What made you curious? What problems did you solve in an unexpected way? What weird ideas popped into your head during your commute?
I keep a note on my phone for this (because let's be honest, I'm not organized enough to maintain an actual journal).
Sometimes it's just one sentence, but it helps me notice patterns in what inspires me.
Here's what I've learned after trying to stay creative while juggling work, life, and everything in between: creativity isn't about waiting for perfect conditions or having hours of uninterrupted studio time (though that would be nice!).
It's about finding little moments throughout your day to stay curious, playful, and open to new ideas.
Try these out and see what works for you. And remember, there's no "right" way to be creative — whatever keeps your imagination running is the right approach for you.
Want more creativity tips and exercises? Check out my latest YouTube video, where I dig into the ways vulnerability can be your creative superpower:
