Ways to Cultivate Your Creativity

Many believe creativity is something you’re born with — either you have it or you don’t. However, like many other skills, it can be developed and strengthened over time with practice, the right setting and a little focus.

Unleashing your creativity is fun, and it’s good for your brain too. Research suggests that engaging in activities that cultivate creativity can radically alter and improve the brain by boosting serotonin levels, improving memory, focus and mental alertness and decreasing the chances of dementia. Engaging in these activities can even increase life expectancy.

Cultivating your creativity also enables you to better solve problems by seeing challenges from multiple and fresh perspectives, which can help you flourish at work, too.

10 Ways to Cultivate Your Creativity

1. Make art. Paint, draw (for adults and kids), sculpt, start a scrapbook, make origami or break out a coloring book to channel your creativity. Start with doodling and see where it takes you.
2. Write. Writing for no purpose at all except for oneself has tons of brain benefits, including improved memory, concentration and attention. Start a journal, write what you are most grateful for each day or simply write down a daily reflection to help you build greater awareness of yourself and others.
3. Photograph. Download the free VSCO app through the Apple Store or Google Play and take professional-quality photographs with your smartphone using these photography ideas.
4. Become multilingual. Learning a new language can enhance your creativity and is, itself, a creative brain workout that can improve concentration and memory and decrease the effects of dementia. Download an app that makes learning a language fun.
5. Cook. Switch up your routine and try a new recipe. Cooking improves your hand-eye coordination, memory and multitasking skills. Try one of these healthy recipes for yourself, make one of these recipes with your family, submit a family recipe or coordinate a cooking competition with a colleague or loved one using AECOM’s Global Cookbook.
6. Knit/Sew/Stitch. Sewing promotes brain growth, improves hand-eye coordination and decreases the chances of dementia. Start a new brain-growing habit that will also keep you stylish. Try these stitching kits or get inspired by these project ideas.
7. Dance. Dancing has the dual advantage of stimulating your intellectual well-being with creativity and promoting physical well-being through movement. After taking a dance class, using an app or having a dance party at your house, play a brain training app. You may be surprised by how well you do!
8. Build and design. Our home surroundings are a source of and outlet for our creativity. Build a bookshelf, try rearranging furniture or putting new paint on your walls (blue is especially good for promoting creativity). You’ll be testing out your spatial visualization abilities and channeling your inner interior designer. Try one of these DIY projects around the house or these craft ideas with your kids.
9. Perform. Performing is one of the best ways to truly “get outside of your shell” and build resilience. Acting and improvisation can improve your creative thinking as well as your focus, problem solving and communication skills.
10. Make music. Music-making offers a myriad of cognitive benefits. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, the health benefits are the same. Learn to play an instrument by taking a free course through AECOM University, trying a music learning app, such as Simply Piano by JoyTunes, learning through a friend or family member or finding a local expert.