This story appears in the
February 2000 issue of
Startups.
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Do you remember the last time you struggled to come up with a
great idea? As the minutes ticked by and you strained to think of
the perfect sales pitch or presentation strategy, your energy, your
confidence and ultimately your productivity were zapped. Whether
you realize it or not, your environment can play a large role in
how you think, function and ultimately produce. Here are several
ways to enhance your creative side and increase your
productivity:
- Make your environment conducive to work and free of
distractions. Your desk doesn't have to be perfectly clear, but
if it's piled high with papers, you'll be easily
distracted.
- If you've been sitting at your desk for a while trying to
think of solutions to a problem, move to another place. A change in
scenery could improve your creativity. Even the short walk to the
new place could help you clear your mind.
- When you hit a roadblock, work on something else for half an
hour. Then go back to your original project.
- Work on creative ideas during your most productive time of day.
Some people are morning people; others come up with their best
ideas after lunch. Determine what time of day works best for you
and devote that time to creating new ideas, improving existing
ideas or solving problems.
- Set a reward for creativity. When you finally solve the problem
or get a new idea, go out to lunch, leave work early or do anything
else that motivates you.