Avoid These Mistakes To Unlock Your Creative Thinking Skills Now

Success Trending    February 12, 2023    Productivity , Tech Skills   

The demand for creative skills has increased as a result of the rapid change that is occurring in industries. Modern working methods are replacing outdated ones. Because of this, it is now essential to be able to think creatively, and believe it or not, every employer is looking for creative thinking skills in their employees.

So how do we develop this skill? Read on to find out. 

What is creative thinking skill? 

Creative thinking is the proficiency to think about something in an unexplored way. 

Creative thinking or innovative thinking is the approach by which individuals create new ideas, concepts, meanings, and products. Creative thinking is more than just the ability to come up with new ideas; it is often described as the ability to see possibilities beyond an initial problem or prompting. 

Every day we come across numerous problems that test us and make us pass through a difficult phase. And most of the time the solution to the problems we find doesn't show satisfactory results as a result, we suffer. This may be possibly because, we don't apply creative thinking skills to our problems. 

When we use creative thinking skills on our problems, we tend to get many more effective solutions than we could ever think of.

What are the characteristics of creative thinking skill?

If you are wondering what would be an answer to the question "What are the characteristics of creative thinking?" then there are some factors that you will need to consider. 

It is also important to note that creative thinking is not the same thing as intelligence. Creative thinking is typically not related to IQ, but rather a different set of abilities. Creative thinking is also found to be more prevalent when one is in a state of flow. It is also important to note that your creative thinking can influence your physical and emotional well-being. 

In other words, creative thinking can be called as one of the fundamental aspects of human cognition. 

There are several characteristics of creative thinking. Creative thinking is generally found to be present when one or more of the following characteristics are present. 

• Flexibility:

This is an important quality since it entails a way of thinking that implies there can be more than one solution or answer to any given issue or problem. Flexible minds are more open to creativity since they are not unduly constrained by a narrow focus. They also possess the ability to recognise when something that is not effective and switch to a different method or solution.

• Curious mind:

The world around fascinates creative minds. They tend to have a lot of questions and a focus that is so deep that it can almost be described as a reverie as they strive to figure out how something works, the specifics of a beautiful construction, or any other subject they set their minds to.

• Strong determination:

Motivational factor and determination are the only things that can provide the follow-through that is necessary for creativity. Without this, innovative thoughts will remain confined to the individual's mind and won't have the chance to affect society or the community.

These are some of the characteristics of creative thinking that sets creative thinker apart from the rest.

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Why creative thinking is important and what are the benefits of creative thinking?

Creative thinking is an important part of both personal and business success. There are a variety of benefits that come from creative thinking, including:

1. Enormous freedom

When we adopt creative thinking in our daily life, we get the chance to communicate with the outside world without we being judged by others. This is because we get confidence on the decisions we take and then we hardly care about what people will think about us. And therefore having creative thinking is about achieving freedom.

2. Self-awareness

One of the main reasons why many fail in succeeding in life is they don't really know themselves. But when we think creatively, we start to think from our own thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. This introduces prejudices into our thinking, but we may learn to put those aside and gain a deeper understanding of who we are and get realization on self-awareness.

3. Gaining confidence in our ideas

Thinking outside the box is a great way to gain confidence. This is true because you are not limited to just what you know. You can find inspiration in anything, including things that you may not be familiar with. When you are creative, you give yourself the opportunity to take in new information, to see how things are different, and to gain a new perspective. 

When you are creative, you use your imagination. When you think of something that has not yet been done, you use your imagination. You are using your creativity to formulate a plan and to be able to implement that plan, you try discovering unusual ways that would guarantee you to get success. In short, when you try doing something different with the help of your creative thinking, you gain new experiences that makes you gain confidence.

The benefits of creative thinking are numerous. Creative thinking is a key skill that is important for success in school, at work and in life. 

If you want to be the best at something, you require to be able to think creatively. It is important to find a balance between thinking creatively and being organized. In order to be creative, you need to be open to new ideas. You ought to be able to imagine things that have never been done before. To be creative, you need to be able to step outside of your comfort zone and find new solutions. You can be creative in many ways, whether it is through writing poetry, drawing, painting, dancing, or singing.

Examples of creative thinking skills

If you're wondering, what are the example of creative thinking, then let me tell you that, there are many innovative thinking or creative thinking examples that we experience everyday in our daily life. Whether it is at home or in office, it is creativity that helps do something in a new way. 

Here are a few examples of creative thinking:

1. Problem-solving: 

A company wants to improve its customer experience, so a team engages in creative thinking to come up with new and innovative solutions to make the customer experience more enjoyable and efficient.

2. Product design: 

A designer uses creative thinking to come up with a unique and functional design for a new product, considering factors such as aesthetics, ergonomics, and usability.

3. Marketing campaigns: 

This creative thinking example is common to see in every company, where a marketing team uses creative thinking to develop a new advertising campaign that is memorable, engaging, and effective at reaching the target audience.

4. Artistic expression:

An artist uses creative thinking to develop a new piece of art, exploring different materials, techniques, and styles to express their vision and message.

5. Education: 

This example of creative thinking skills is one which everyone have experienced in our schools wherein, a teacher uses creative thinking to develop an engaging lesson plan, incorporating different teaching methods, activities, and technologies to reach students of different learning styles.

These are just a few examples of creative thinking explaining how these creative thinking skills can be applied in different areas and domains.

It is not surprising to know that every person has creative thinking skills innate in them. However, despite this, sometimes people struggle to be creative. There are various reasons that obstruct one to use his creative thinking skills. Such as:

1. Stress

Stress is something that affects a lot of people in different ways. Some people experience it as a distraction or an obstacle that can be overcome.

Stress can be a hindrance to creativity. It can lead to reduced mental alertness and increased anxiety. According to Huber and colleagues, “Stress can have a significant effect on the ability to think creatively and can be detrimental to creativity.” A study conducted by Kihlstrom, et al. found that the condition of “cognitive load”, which is a state in which the person is required to actively process a large amount of information, makes creative thinking difficult. One of the causes of stress is the workload.

2. Workload

In order to create something new, you must have the freedom to think creatively. While there is a lot of research into how creativity can be stimulated, it's not entirely easy to explain. What is clear is that some factors affect the creative process more than others. 

The workload is the number one thing that affects creative thinking. It is not just the number of hours that have been put in, but the workload that the person has to deal with. If the workload is too much, it will affect the creativity of the person and they will not be able to think in a creative way. When you work on a creative project, you need to give enough time and space for the task. When you are given too much work, you will be unable to focus on the creative task at hand. Therefore, workload plays and important role in affecting creative thinking skills.

3. Sleep deprivation 

Sleep is essential to brain development. According to "the American Brain Foundation", our brain health depends on the intensity and quantity of our sleep. Our brain is divided into right and left sides.  The right - side of the brain is more creative and creates innovative thoughts. The left - side of the brain is more into disciplines and adheres to patterns and rules.

So, when you don't get enough sleep, you lack focus and thereby it affects creativity.

When you sleep better, you foster creativity by facilitating the brain's ability to connect ideas and find solutions. When you don't get enough sleep, the brain finds it difficult to generate ideas and prone to distractions.

4. Lack of support

Creative thinking is more of additional skill than just an ability – it's a process. When we consider the term "creative thinking," the first thing that comes to mind is the idea of brainstorming. However, creative thinking is really about how we process new information. There are many different types of creative thinking, such as creative problem-solving, out-of-the-box thinking, and creative visual thinking. Creative thinking is a complex process that often needs support in order to work properly. There are many things that affect our creative thinking, and without support, we can find ourselves struggling to reach new ideas.  

5. Afraid of being wrong

Creative thinking is the most rewarding skill in life, but it is hard to learn. It is an art, not a science. Sometimes though, it can be tough. One of the things that affect creative thinking is the fear of being wrong. If you are afraid of being wrong, you are afraid to take risks. You might not take in new ideas, you might not be open to changes, and you might not try new things. If you want to be creative, you need to be open to changes and new ideas. 

 6. Trying to search for the right answer

There are a lot of things that can affect your creative thinking. If you're looking for inspiration, it might be that you're not thinking the right way. When you're faced with a problem, it might be tempting to rush in and find the answer right away. However, you need to take your time and be patient. Instead of rushing in and trying to find the answer, you should get out and observe the situation. 

Often all we want is the perfect right answer to our problem. But getting a perfect answer on the first attempt may not always be possible since even for success you need to pass yourself through trying and testing.

When it comes to people, many people just want the right answer in a short time, which is not possible. Seeing this they lose hope and skip the idea of using their creativity skill in real-life problems.

7. Environment

Creative thinking is a process that is constantly changing. There are many factors that affect the creative process, including the environment.  The environment in which we live and work can affect our creativity. When we live in a safe and healthy environment, our minds are more likely to be at their best. 

So, to make creative thinking more effective, you should try to create an environment that is conducive to creativity. Change your environment every day. Keep it fresh. Try something new.

8. Anxiety

Anxiety is one of the main things that can affect creative thinking. When you feel anxious, you are not able to think clearly, and it makes it difficult to do creative tasks. Creative thinking is a process where you are able to form new ideas and come up with creative solutions to problems, and as a result, anxiety can affect this process. 

9. Personal problem

Creativity is an important skill. It's the ability to imagine something that doesn't exist, to create something out of nothing. If a person is creative, they are able to connect and understand multiple ideas, and that's what makes them shine.

Sometimes the ongoing real-life never-ending issues can impact the creativity skills of the person. Due to the disappointments you face in your personal life, you lose your focus and all you keep is worrying about the issues that you are facing.

Though problems are part of life if you want to be more productive in the creative thinking process, you’ll need to work on sorting out personal problems.

10. Exhaustion

Creative thinking is an incredibly important skill that can help you be more innovative at work and in your personal life. However, it also takes a lot of time and effort. creative thinking can be affected by many things, including exhaustion. Exhaustion is something that most people experience on a regular basis. Exhaustion along with lack of rest often makes people not concentrate with more interest in creative thinking. As a result, it impacts the development of their life.

Conclusion

Creative thinking is a set of skills and abilities that allow individuals to come up with, understand, and act on ideas. From the moment you wake up to the moment when you go to bed, the number of things in your life that can impact your creative thinking skills is high. The above 10 are the main ones that commonly affect your creative thinking skills. 

It's a well-known fact that creative thinking skills are an important tool for solving problems and generating ideas. The more creative thinking skills you can build, the more successful you will be in your career.  Creative thinking can be thought of as being innovative, imaginative, and/or inventive. It can be a problem-solving method that helps you to look at something from a different point of view. Creative thinking is something that can be developed through critical-thinking activities, and it begins with doing a little bit of something called "open-minded thinking." 

If there is determination and creative thinking, nothing is impossible. All that someone who wants to make a difference require a motivation and a little practice every day. 

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I hope that this post on creative thinking techniques has helped you learn more about it. If so, spread the word to your loved ones and stay tuned for more interesting posts.

Thank you!!!