How to get creative – when you’re not

While the marketing landscape keeps changing, the demand for creativity remains unabated across all companies.In an interview with Leo Burnett Worldwide’s Mark Tutssel, Marketing asked if creativity could be nurtured. No, is his take.“I think great creativity is something you either have or you don’t,” said the chief creative officer. However, he added that certain skills could be learned over the years. While, the debate of “nature versus nurture” in the creative field remains ongoing, here are some quick tips to rejuvenate your tired Friday mind.1. Get tiredAn article on Fast Company says that being tired can actually work in your favour because this is when your brain filters lesser information and you are more distracted. Unrelated issues crop up in your mind and that can sometimes result in the unexpected birth of creativity.A study by Scientific American also echoes the notion that distraction is not always bad.“Insight problems involve thinking outside the box. This is where susceptibility to ‘distraction’ can be of benefit. At off-peak times we are less focused, and may consider a broader range of information. This wider scope gives us access to more alternatives and diverse interpretations, thus fostering innovation and insight.”The article by Fast Company also stated the period of coming out of sleep (yes, when you are still a little groggy and tired) called the hypnopompic state is when surrealist painter Salvador Dalí was known to churn out his famous works.2. Moderate noiseBefore you crank up the stereo, read this.According to a study, “Is noise always bad? Exploring the effects of ambient noise on creative cognition”, published in the Journal of Consumer Research, various levels of noise while working affect creativity in different ways.The study, which was also later published on The Atlantic in 2012, said that while a high level of noise (85 decibels) may cause a great deal of distraction, absolute silence (50 decibels) can be just as overwhelming. A moderate level of noise, however, is expected to distract people without significantly affecting the extent of processing.Next time you’re stuck, try heading down to the nearest cafe.3. Be blueWell don’t start crying at your desks now folks, but do surround yourself with the colour blue.A 2009 study by the University of British Columbia asked the question: What colour most improves brain performance and receptivity to advertising, red or blue? The findings showed that both colours can. However, while red is the most effective at enhancing our attention to detail, blue is best at boosting our ability to think creatively.The colour blue was also closely associated with openness, peace and tranquility which made the participants take more risks, said the study.4. Make some friends and get out of the officeThis should come as no surprise as we are all in the people business – but if you are one of those brooding Mad Men-type of creative directors, you should stop right now.“Creativity and innovation come from human interactions and collaboration. The lone genius that develops an idea doesn’t exist or perhaps didn’t really exist,” Steelcase’s director of design Michael Held said in an earlier interview with Marketing.Meanwhile, Erick Rosa, ECD of Lowe + Partners, also added that movies and conversations with his three-year-old son definitely contributed to his creative process. Rosa also added that as often as possible he likes to take the creative team to brainstorm outside of the office – to a café or eatery.Similarly, when asked how he induced creativity, Grey Group Kuala Lumpur’s group executive creative director David Sin said: “Take a walk, get out of the office, have a conversation with someone unrelated to the project I’m working on. The spontaneous responses from people are usually surprising. You could look at a problem from another lens and come up with something totally unexpected.”(Photo courtesy: Shutterstock)