When we are being creative, our brains release dopamine, which is an anti-depressant. While this makes us ‘feel good’, engaging in creative activities can also boost self-esteem, reduce symptoms of anxiety, and increase feelings of happiness and contentment. Creativity is linked to several mental health benefits, and yet…
We learn to color inside the lines and unlearn to think outside the box. We tell kids to stop asking why why why? We over-expose and over-structure, to the point where there’s little time to reflect or to be alone with one’s thoughts. We fill our days so there is little free time.
Did you know that non-creative behavior is learned? It is not our natural inclination.
Fascinating research shows that 95% of children (under the age of twelve) are divergent thinkers. By the age of twelve, 95% of us have become convergent thinkers. This basically means that before we begin puberty, we are creative and flexible in how we think, able to connect the dots. After the age of twelve, we solve problems through conformity and standardization.
If we, by design, were created to be creative, what makes us lose our creativity? Let’s look at creativity in general - creativity includes so much more than just the artist, painter, musician, or dancer. We often classify creativity as merely having the ability to create something big and new, but our creative minds come alive in the menial tasks of everyday life. We were all created to be creative. Creative expression includes the mother parenting her strong-willed child, the entrepreneur coming up with the next innovation, the accountant introducing a groundbreaking approach to save the small company. Artistic representation is all around us.
Our ability to express our creativity gradually declines as we learn to accept others’ opinions, beliefs, and evaluations. Our educational system, society, and the world create a definite effort to conform.
So how do we fix this? A good place to start may well be (literally) right under our noses. After all, our kids are the creative ones! Let’s get back to the basics:
BE PLAYFUL
All work and no play…. There might be more to this saying! Studies show that a positive mood improves creativity and insightful problem solving. Even when faced with life-or-death decisions it seems that a playful mood improves innovation and intuitive problem solving. In one experiment, Physicians were given a case study of a difficult to diagnose liver disease. Mood manipulation was created by giving some of the Doctors a bag of candy before presenting them with the problem. Those who got the bag of candy arrived at the correct diagnoses faster than those who didn’t. Their reasoning was more flexible, they were able to consider all the information more readily and were less likely to get stuck on incorrect leads than were those who had not received the candy.
Problem-solving and creativity are worsened by interventions that interfere with playfulness. Peter Gray, in his book Free to learn, suggests that a playful mood is the most conducive mood when it comes to positive mood manipulation. If we feel like the task ahead is for fun and not a test, we don’t feel pressured to perform and more liberated to let our creative juices flow.
LAUGH OUT LOUD
Not only does laughter hold immense health benefits, but it also opens us to freely extract our creative thoughts. What can be a better feel-good medicine than a laugh-out-loud moment?
When scientists challenged an experimental group with the candle problem*, they presented some of the group with a 5-minute slapstick comedy film. Some of the other participants watched a 5-minute film, and the last group was not shown any film. The results were astounding! Seventy-five percent of the group who saw the comedy, compared to 20% and 13% in the other two groups, respectively, solved the problem successfully. Just 5 minutes of humor made the problem solvable for most participants. Humor drives cognitive processes that are conducive to creative thinking.
It seems innovation rarely thrives in overly serious environments. Research by Karuna Subramaniam shows that ‘eureka’ occurs much more in those who work in a fun and light atmosphere. After all, there is only an ‘h’ difference between ‘aha’ and ‘haha’.
GET DIRTY
My son is known for running around barefoot in our neighborhood. He merely dislikes wearing shoes. But he might be onto something. Research suggests that earthing can decrease cortisol levels (stress hormone) by as much as 31%. Only fifteen minutes of earthing results in a decrease in anxiety and negative thoughts.
Practices such as earthing and grounding help create more space for oneself, which generates more space in which to create. We can think of it as plugging ourselves back into the outlet to keep the creative energy running.
The use of our mobile phones to talk, text, take photos, or scroll is facilitated by tapping from the prefrontal cortex and causing a reduction in cognitive resources. Once we put the phone away and spend time in nature, like taking a walk, we decrease engagement, which allows for attention restoration. This allows for an open mindset. We call this the brain default network, and it is linked to creativity.
So, get out there! Take a (barefoot) walk, crack a joke, and don’t take life too seriously. Reconnect with your inner child, we all have a five-year-old creative genius waiting to emerge.
* The candle problem is a test of creative problem solving developed by Karl Duncker. The test challenges a cognitive bias that makes it difficult to use familiar objects in abnormal ways.