The habits, the rituals are fixed, the reflexes, are true anaesthetics for creativity. It is necessary for them to let go, in the office and elsewhere, to push the brain to generate new neural connections. And to achieve this, nothing better than to adopt the culture of the shifting and experimentation. The advice of Yann Coirault, author of “The five keys to being creative in everyday life” (Dunod, 2016), to be open to suggestions, possible, and shake up its preconceived ideas. A way as to break your train-train.
1. Create bubbles of creativity
He should not hesitate to change your surroundings to boost his creativity. In your workspace, display a beautiful photo, a poster that takes you. If it is possible, prefer walls of color in the white uniform of the offices and do not hesitate to listen to the relaxing music. Outside, go on a walk in the forest or at the park to reflect on a project surrounded by nature. Are looking for inspiration to visit an art exhibit or visiting a historic monument.
The most. Out of your usual universe, you will be more apt to consider a project or a decision from another angle.
2. Write down key words before any research
You are going to activate the neural network of Salience that acts as a filter between the conscious and the unconscious. It is him who makes us attentive to the detail that we had not noticed and which, at a glance, appears to be obvious. For example, if you want to buy a red car you see red cars everywhere. Before you find a book in the library, and information on the internet, make a note in black and white, the keywords which relate to it. Review this list, and then start the search. Your brain has registered it, will naturally focus your attention on what you are interested in.
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The most. You will go faster. Most importantly, you find a host of other unexpected information, yet in the heart of your topic, and that will feed your reflection.
3. Attach schedules 07/45/52 to the meetings, and invert the format
The ideas flow from thoughts or acts staggered that stimulate curiosity, arouse his vigilance. Therefore, break the round repetitive acts ; dare to reshape, change, test, in order to stretch your neurons. Example : apply to the meetings the principle of the class reversed. Ask participants to dig deeper into the topics upstream (as the students prior to the course).
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you can also for atypical hours. Instead of the classic 14h-15h, attach a start at 14h07, and end at 14: 52 after 45 minutes of trade. Then, write down everything that happened differently, everything that you have noticed, all that it causes in you. People were at the time ? All there ? You were more attentive, more productive ? More agile, more flexible ?
The most. You will gain in efficiency, and inventiveness, with inter-reactions that are richer, more fruitful and relevant with the dining room (or the team).
4. Vary your “hello” in the hallways
The brain likes to run on auto-pilot, then break it purr ! Stop the “Hello, howís it going ?” who do not expect a response. Restore his role of leader to this formulation. Make it more dense, more inviting. “Hello, I’m really happy for you to cross.” Referring to a common history. “Hello Alain, have you seen the latest response from the client to the tender ?” or a piece of information that you share, “Hi Paul, where are you in your folder ?” If you do not know the person, impress-the on things that are more wide (travel, local, etc). To you to invent on this principle : start your sentence by another and not by you.
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The most. You move to the next on the other. Look carefully at his face, his gait, his posture express before he spoke or moved. You will be more empathetic, more open to otherness.
5. Start task difficulty trivial (or not)
This is to aim for the optimal experience or “flow” (the mental state achieved when we are immersed in an activity, with a maximum concentration). So dominates a feeling of self-transcendence. You don’t see the time pass, and the pleasure is extreme. Launch of micro-challenges on common tasks. Put the bar higher and higher : less time, less medium, more complexity, more challenge. Which will require you to find new solutions. Example : write a report of four pages, in an hour, for the team, and then two pages in 30 minutes, for the n+2, a card-ultra-synthetic for the big boss, etc
Yann Coirault, consultant and coach, is the author of “The five keys to being creative in everyday life” (Dunod, 2016).
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The most. You’re going to be off-centre, diverge, changing view angle, and angles of attack.
Yann Coirault, consultant and coach, is the author of “The five keys to being creative in everyday life” (Dunod, 2016).
