The definition of creativity per Merriam-Webster is simply the ability to create. 

That’s it. So all of these ideas have to do with getting you to create something. Some involve making something physical, and some involve stretching your brain a bit more. All result in your creativity being boosted. Without further ado:

10 Ways to Get Creative

1. Get 1,000 steps in and listen to some tunes.

   • Set a timer for five minutes.

   • Create a new playlist and add five upbeat songs (or, IDK, I guess low beat songs if that’s what you like to listen to while you’re trying to boost the mood 😀).

   • Go outside and walk for the duration of the playlist. Anywhere. Even in circles (I did that the other week).

2. If you decided that you’ll do the above “tomorrow,” try this today:

   • Grab a pencil and piece of paper.

   • Go to this random animal generator. 

   • Set a timer for five minutes and doodle the animal that is a combination of 1 and 3 from the generator.

   • Send a picture of what you create to [email protected].

3. Put together an outfit you’ve never worn before based around the shirt you haven’t worn in months. Find somewhere to wear it, or realize that the shirt needs to be donated.

4. Write a haiku about the color yellow and a friend. Send to said friend.

5. Set a timer for three minutes and sit in complete silence. Only you and your thoughts. Nothing else. Just the quiet void. Zip, nada, zilch.

6. Plan a three-day trip to whatever place this site comes up with. You’ll probably need to check a bag.

7. Start a junk journal after buying a notebook and pack of pens. This is where those random stickers and movie tickets go. This is where zarfs and words live. It doesn’t have to look pretty (but it can). Zero rules and tons of creativity involved. Inspired by a dedicated reader, Marina.

8. Go to Trader Joe’s and pick out flowers to arrange. Listen to this playlist while arranging them.

9. Try a new recipe. 

10. If none of these are a go for you, please click this 🙂 Let me know what you try.

For my local readers:

• The Walker Art Center (first Saturday of every month and every Thursday from 5:00 - 9:00 PM)

• Minneapolis Institute of Art (free admission all the time, but keep in mind that the store and cafe inside are $$$)

• Go Skyway-ing in Minneapolis (a.k.a. the floor is lava but for adults)

• Check out the Como Zoo (free with the exception of the theme park that I so badly wanted to go to as a child)

How does being creative slow time down?

First off, anyone can be creative. ANYONE. Some of us may have grown up thinking you’re creative or you’re not, but that is simply not true. Anyone can work on being more creative. It’s about pushing outside of your comfort zone and trying something new.

And being creative isn’t limited to the arts. You can (and I would argue, must) approach analytical problems with creativity. Whether it’s for math or biology or computer science, you have to get creative to find solutions. But pushing yourself to get creative with your hands through visual art or trying to write a song or film a video, etc. are all amazing ways to get creative, too.

In an age where AI is writing everything we see on social media, developing images and videos, and writing songs and books (not my blogs though 😘), it can be difficult to not ask Chat to do your creating for you. And yes, using AI for tons of things is great, but don’t let it dull down your creativity. If anything, use it to automate the trivial tasks and free up your time for the creative ones.

Now I’m getting to the point: Being creative slows time down by stretching your brain. When you are doing something new for the first time, your brain “slows time down” because it is processing everything in greater depth. Your brain works harder when creating memories of new experiences. When you start doing something over and over again, it doesn’t take your brain as long to process, and so it feels like time goes faster.

Well, that’s it for today. Well, wait, here’s my last idea: Start a blog. LMK and I’ll be the first to subscribe 😉 

As always, talk to you next week. Stay tuned for my blog on doing things by yourself, written by me, a person who doesn’t like to do things by myself.