Sometimes, when I get stuck on a text, or when no good ideas about a class or book come to mind, I stop what I am doing and move on to a different activity. I may simply go around the block, go to the bakery, walk the dog, water the flowers, cook something, or even play some game online (my favorite).
After that break – 15 to 30 minutes – I get back to the problem and …, I usually solve it easily.
For a certain period of time I didn’t realize what or why that happened. All I knew was that those different activities not only took me out of the problem but also lighted up my creativity!
I am forever searching about the ways people learn.
Years ago, I started reading books and articles about Emotional Intelligence, Multiples Intelligences, and the sciences that study our brain, the Neurosciences. Many studies explained things about creativity and the ways our brain functions and learns. I then learned that our brain, like our students, is always looking for newness. If we don’t present it with something unexpected, it gets ‘annoyed’ and works as a robot, in an automatic slow motion mode.
I realized that the different activities I did really surprised my brain, took it from the comfort zone and, consequently, lighted up my creativity.
Recently, a TV program on creativity made me think about the strategies that are now part of my life. In case you think you are not creative at all, just be informed that creativity is something you can nurture and develop. Try these simple steps:
1. whenever you can’t solve a problem, take a good look at it;
2. give your brain some unexpected food – some cooking, some gardening, some washing, … some games! More difficult questions demand more time or even, trying more (maybe a couple of days);
3. try to solve the problem again. You will probably succeed.
Scientists say that the answer to a problem doesn’t occur when our brain is tired or bored. Doing nothing is not a solution either! Try to do something pleasant and not too demanding and kick your creativity up!
