Written by Amanda Voigt
As the temperature is dropping, often our motivation levels do as well. Research shows that there are both physiological and psychological impacts to the low temperatures and short days (Pressman, 1991). “Americans are twice as likely to say their mood declines in the winter (41%) as they are to say it improves (22%)” and in the Midwest, that number jumps to 52% of people (American Psychiatric Association, 2024). That’s over half of us losing energy, enthusiasm, and the general joie de vie to be creative. Today, I’m going to share with you 3 super easy ways to get your brain working for you this winter:
- Ask questions instead of jumping to solutions
- Brain-dump and come back
- Reset your environment
1. Ask More Questions to Spark Better Ideas
First, instead of forcing yourself to look for solutions to your question, simply ask more questions! For example – if you are trying to increase engagement on your social media, don’t immediately jump to ideas on how to do this. Ask yourself some more questions and write them down (always write down everything, because you never know when you’ll come back to it and get some inspiration). Ask yourself – why do I need more engagement? What am I hoping to get by increasing engagement? What does engagement look like for me? Etc. This will help you clarify your purpose so that when you do get to ideas for your problem, you have more detailed information about it so you can answer the right problem.
2. Brain-Dump Your Thoughts and Return Later
Number two – do a brain-dump. Written down (see above for why writing it all down is important). Write down your ideas, problems, concerns, and most outrageous thoughts. Then, take a break. Go work on something else, get some exercise, or read a book. Then, when your brain is refreshed, get fresh eyes on your ideas.
See what new connections you see, build on a previous idea, or find inspiration and create more ideas.
3. Change Your Environment to Increase Creativity
Lastly, switch it up! Did you know that being in a specific environmental context (ex: the same seat in class, going to the same coffee shop), can increase your memory when you in that same environment (Isarida & Isarida, 2014)? That can be so great when you sit in the same seat in the same room for class as an exam.
However, the opposite also holds true, that switching up your environment can help you be more creative (Ritter et al., 2012). Try going to a brand-new place – maybe instead of your office at work with no windows, go to a light-filled coffee shop. If you normally drink coffee every work session, mix it up with caffeinated cold tea. Think about how you can change the environment for several senses to really put yourself in a creative space.
Staying Creative and Energized Through the Winter
Don’t let winter slow you down – simply consider it a chance to be deliberately creative. Give yourself grace and set yourself up for success by trying a few new techniques this winter to increase your creativity. All of these ideas can be used individually, in a team, or even asynchronously.
Interested in learning more about creativity or ideation? Reach out to the Center for Innovation, where we are here to help!