7 Ways To Get More Creative Rest by Oliver C. Stone

We use creativity way more often than we realize. Many people think that being creative is all about doing art, but I can guarantee that everyone uses creativity somewhere in their day. If you have to do any problem solving at work, that’s creative. If you make graphics or powerpoints, that’s creative. If you have to think up new activities or ways to keep kids entertained, that’s creative. With that said, we all need to rest our creativity. Here are 7 ways that you can intentionally have some creative rest.

1. Get into nature. Nature is beautiful and can be a great way to find inspiration in our day to day lives. Going on a quick walk can help us recharge when we’re feeling drained.
2. Do an activity that you loved when you were a child. Sometimes we lose our connection with things we cared about as children because pressure was put on us to focus on other things or because we “need to grow up.” Setting aside those judgments and taking time to enjoy the interests you had when you were growing up can be a great way to let your creativity flow without the stress that comes from other creative outputs.
3. Sleep. I know that I keep bringing up sleep in this blog series, but it really is that important to our lives. We know that the average person doesn’t get enough sleep, and it affects every part of our existence. So take a nap, try and get 30 minutes more sleep, and see what happens.
4. Let yourself be bored. Creativity thrives in boredom, but with so many options and so much input happening all the time, it can be hard to let yourself be bored. So take a break and see where things lead you.
5. Go do something physical. Focusing on moving our bodies or doing tasks where you don’t have to put in as much mental effort can help give the brain time to mull over thoughts and projects that you’ve been working on. That’s where things like shower thoughts come from.
6. Move to a different space. Certain spaces aren’t ideal for creativity. If the space that you’re in is stressful and chaotic, changing spaces can help you relax and let your creativity start to flow.
7. Take in creative ideas. Sometimes being around other people’s creativity can help us to rest our creative brain.

Our final blog post in this series will be on spiritual rest. Then we’ll be moving on to a new series!