The Enhancement of Creative Thinking with Mindfulness

30.1.2017

In the UK, 2.8 million people are employed specifically in the creative industries - although it is true that creative thinking is helpful in most walks of life. Creativity is a key skill for problem solving, self-expression, and working collaboratively with others. However, many creative people struggle with establishing the right conditions for creativity to emerge. Creativity is not a skill that can be just turned on or off.

 

Or is it?

 

Mindfulness training can help to help get you in the zone and reach your full creative potential.

 

How the creative brain works

From a neuroscience perspective, there are four stages to the creative process.

 

Firstly, you need to come up with ideas. To do this, the brain needs to quieten its cognitive control network - so the imagination can conjure up suggestions.

 

Next, you need to incubate ideas; this might involve sleeping or doing something different so the brain can process and organise the thoughts.

 

Then comes the ‘aha’ moment, when the best idea comes through into the consciousness.

 

Finally, the idea needs to be verified and refined. This is when cognitive control comes back in so the idea can be analysed and moulded into something usable.

How mindfulness helps with creativity

The creative process draws on a number of different thinking styles. Mindfulness training increases our capacity to observe our thoughts and to become aware of the thinking style we’re currently using. Through meditation we can become attuned to the present moment and experience more choice around where our mind goes. Mindfulness, therefore allows us to create balance between ‘freestyle’ thinking and ‘control’. It also brings about the ability to switch between both ways of thinking. This allows the mind to navigate the creative process more easily. By allowing ideas to come to us unimpeded and then using a more critical style of thinking to refine them, we can achieve the best results.

Where mindfulness might fit into the creative process

Before a big meeting, or at the stage of generating ideas, you might try meditating for a few moments to allow the mind to calm and to increase your focus. Once you’ve found a few good ideas, try calming the mind again with more meditation. Sometimes, our emotions can get in the way of creativity, as the fear of losing them, or the fear of failure can easily enter the picture. Meditation can calm these self-sabotaging thoughts and help you to increase your focus on the ideas in a more discerning way.

 

When you’re focused, the best ideas can naturally break free into the consciousness. Once they’re there, pay attention to the critical thinking that surrounds the ideas. Consider how they can be built upon in a positive way. Let go of any irrational negative thoughts about them and consider any weaknesses that could be improved.

 

Creativity varies from person to person and mindfulness training can help develop the capacity for creative thinking, so every member of a team can contribute and collaborate well, reaching their full creative potential.

 

Are you looking to keep your creative team in the zone? Contact rachel@mindfulnessworks.com or call (+44) 01223 750660 for more information.