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Times of isolation have led to some of the best thinking in history. William Shakespeare wrote King Lear, Macbeth, and Antony and Cleopatra while he was isolated during a plague. Sir Isaac Newton was quarantined when he developed his theory of gravity and the laws of motion. As a mountaineer myself, I have found some of my best ideas on my own in the mountains.
It’s not hard to be creative when working from home, but creativity is slippery and can be quite fickle. The things that inspired you might not work anymore. For managers who hope to inspire their teams, asking them to “be more creative†or brainstorm on your next Zoom call isn’t going to be enough. In fact, it can backfire by putting pressure on employees.
With remote working changing where and how many of us work, it’s essential to create habits and strategies that keep the creative sparks going. Here are five ways to recharge your creativity at home and help your team do the same.
DISABLE YOUR NOTIFICATIONS
Remote working by itself may not destroy creativity, but the way we manage it can. Genius and talent aside, Shakespeare and Newton weren’t distracted by Slack messages all day. Being constantly interrupted by texts, emails and calls is an enemy of the creative flow. Make sure to turn off all notifications at certain times of the day to give your mind the space it needs to imagine. I have personally turned off the ringer and vibrate on my iPhone for five years or more. I see messages when I decide to check, and that mental space opens up.
It’s also crucial to take frequent breaks throughout the day, which is easier when you’re not constantly alerted to fires to be put out or fired in 3 directions at once. A few minutes of stretching, reading a few pages of a book, or going outside to get some fresh air will revive your body and mind.
RESERVE TIME FOR A SINGLE THOUGHT
Brainstorming is an essential part of the creative process. Make time in your schedule to do this, such as jotting down ideas for 10 minutes each morning or putting an hour of brainstorming on your calendar each week. Whether in the office or at home, dedicate a quiet space to brainstorming sessions. Going there regularly sends a signal to the brain that it’s time to create.
PROMOTING COLLABORATION WITH TEAMS
It is true that creativity most often springs when you are alone. But ideas also arise through collaboration. Employees will be more open to sharing ideas if they trust their colleagues, so the first step for managers is to create space for activities that promote team cohesion. Reserve time for in-person events, no matter where your employees live and work.
In my company, each team leader has the flexibility to organize in-person brainstorming sessions and reimburse travel expenses. Affinity groups, both online or in person, are another way to build camaraderie and ensure safe spaces where employees feel comfortable sharing thoughts and exchanging new ideas.
ENCOURAGE EMPLOYEES NOT TO WORK
Burnout will instantly crush creativity. Remote work has made it harder for managers to spot its telltale signs, so it’s important to put preventative strategies in place. Encourage employees to take time off and hold people accountable for the actual use of their vacation. Providing flexible hours will allow employees to determine when and where they will work and will also help them set clear limits.
FOLLOW A CREATIVITY DIET
Creativity is the ability to connect seemingly unconnected ideas. Encourage your mind to do this by paying attention to what you listen to, watch, and read. People sometimes put creation on a pedestal and scorn consumption, but you’ll want to strike a balance between the two. You don’t want to fall too deep into a scroll hole, but if you’re unaware of what’s going on in your industry, not everything you create may resonate.
You can build your creative muscles by trying new things like learning to play an instrument or picking up a brush. Take a new route in your neighborhood on your daily walk, go to a new cafe, or try using your left hand instead of your right hand to brush your teeth or comb your hair. You could just trigger a few creative neurons that you didn’t know you had.
CONCLUSION
There is a lot of mystery surrounding the origin of creativity, but the truth is, anyone can be creative. It is about developing habits that allow him to rise. Our traditional ways of working are changing and the change itself requires creativity. We now have the opportunity to adapt, innovate, and find ways in which remote working will inspire even more creative freedom.
Jonathan Ronzio, CMO of Trainual, the leading corporate playbook software for documenting SOPs and improving onboarding and training processes.
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