The majority links creative thinking to tasks and artistic activities, such as composing a novel, drawing a picture, or composing a musical piece. Although these activities indicate distinctive creative capabilities, creative thinking is not limited to the arts. As many of the world’s prestigious jobs in the fields of business and science require the possession of creative thinking skills, What is it—creative thinking—what are its types, and how can you develop this skill?
What is creative thinking?
Creative thinking means looking at things in a new way. Perhaps the most appropriate definition of it is: “thinking outside the box.” In this case, creative thinking includes what is called “lateral thinking” or “side thinking,” which is the ability to observe patterns and things that are not clearly visible. For example, in one of his famous stories, Sherlock Holmes was able to use this type of thinking to realize that the dog’s lack of barking is an important key to solving a murder.
Thus, creative people have the ability to find new ways to accomplish the tasks assigned to them, to solve the problems they face, and to meet the challenges they face, so they bring a new and unusual perspective to their business. This helps institutions and departments within companies develop in a more productive direction. That is why creative thinking skills are one of the distinctive features that employers are looking for.
What are the most famous creative thinking skills?
As we have already mentioned, creative thinking skills are not limited to technical capabilities. Rather, it expands to include various aspects, and here are the most important skills that are a component of creative thinking.
1- Analytical thinking:
Before you start thinking creatively about something or an issue, you must first understand it. This requires the ability to examine all aspects of the problem carefully to understand what each part means. Whether you are in front of a text, a set of data, a curriculum plan, or a scientific equation, you should always start analyzing it before thinking about a creative solution for it.
2- Openness:
Creative thinking involves thinking about things that no one has taken into account before. Here, you must set aside any assumptions or biases you possess and look at the things around you in a completely new way. Thus, discussing a problem with an open mind will give you the opportunity to think creatively.
3- Problem solution:
Employers are not only looking for admiration for creative people. They even want to employ creative people who are able to solve the problems associated with work. So when applying for any job, do not only mention your creative abilities, but rather explain how these capabilities have contributed to solving previous issues and problems.
4- Organization:
This may seem a bit contrary to what is recognized: that creative people are often chaotic. But it must be noted that organization is an important factor in creative thinking. You may find yourself a little messy when trying a new idea, but then you need to arrange your thoughts and organize them so that others understand them and can walk behind you. It is very important to be able to structure a business plan with clear goals and deadlines.
5- Communication:
Unless you have the ability to effectively communicate your creative thoughts or solutions, the people who work with them or are concerned with these solutions will not appreciate them.So you must have strong communication skills, either orally or in writing. Not only that, but you must also be able to understand the situation well so that you can think about it creatively, and this will not happen unless you are a good listener and are able to ask the correct questions that eventually lead you to understand the problem before you and then solve it.
How do I develop creative thinking skills?
Many believe that you are either a creative thinker or not. However, this is not the case.Creative thinking is a skill that can be acquired and developed through training and exercise. Here are 6 things that you can do to enhance your creative thinking skills.
1- Read on topics outside the scope of your interests.
There is no doubt that we all love reading about matters in the fields of our specialties and interests. This is often useful, but it does not contribute at all to promoting creative thinking. This type of reading can only provide you with motivation or inspiration.But if you want to develop creative thinking, then you should read books and articles on topics outside the scope of your specialty, address new topics, and know more about them. There is no doubt that this will give you a new perspective that contributes to generating creative and different ideas in your head.
2- Exercise the 500 words
This exercise is very fun and useful if you are unable to focus your thoughts or come up with new ideas. All you have to do is take a piece of paper and a pen, or open a new page on Microsoft Word, and start writing! It is not necessary to write about a specific topic or to verify what you wrote; simply write down your ideas, even if they are unrelated.You will eventually be surprised by a strange, crazy text, but then you will feel a great creative spark and you will notice the flow of more creative ideas in your head.
3- Watch a movie at the cinema.
The cinema hall may not be a common place to think about it, especially with the big screen, spectators, and fresh popcorn smell, but it is nevertheless a place that will undoubtedly contribute to promoting your creative thinking. As watching a fictional movie on a giant screen makes you feel part of the movie, you will undoubtedly generate many distinctive ideas in your head.
4- Seek music
Some believe that applied stillness is the best way to enhance creative thinking, but many studies have proven the opposite, as stillness contributes to strengthening focus, which hinders creative thinking. If you are working to solve a complex or important problem that requires great interest in detail, then you need stillness. If you want to encourage creative thinking, you should surround yourself with sounds or music.You need to work in an environment similar to the one you find in a coffee shop, for example.
It is worth noting that there are many musical compositions and sound clips known as “ambient noise” that you can find on the Internet and listen to to promote thinking creatively.
5- Surround yourself with the right colors.
Various studies, one after the other, confirm the impact of colors on the thinking and mood of the person, as the National Center for Biotechnology Information in the United States, known as NCBI, affirms a study in which the blue color has a positive impact on creativity and contributes significantly to promoting creative thinking. The same applies to green. And there is no better place to see these two colors together than in nature and in the open air.Spend time in nature and observe how it affects your creative thinking skills.
6- You have a brainstorming
Use at least one person to do this exercise, and ask him to sit with you for a period of 45 to 60 minutes to do a brainstorming session. Make sure to remove all the technological means around you and seek paper and a pen instead of a computer or mobile phone.
Choose an idea or topic for a mental storm, and begin writing down all the ideas that come to you and your companion regarding the subject you have chosen, while ensuring that no ideas have been coded, for whatever reason.
You may come up with 100 horrible ideas, but rest assured that among those bad ones are one or two good ones. And with the ongoing exercise, you will be able to find better ideas.
What do you think other habits and exercises that may contribute to promoting your creative thinking are? Join us in the comments box below.
Read also: How to become a creative in my work?
