In this new world of constant cultural and technological change, the only source you can trust is your own ability to learn faster and be more creative than your competition. In that context, we all have to deal with a huge information overload, which can stifle creativity, just by the sheer weight of trying to consume all the data bombarding us daily from the Internet, social media, and press.
In fact, according to a recent book, “Too Fast to Think: How to Reclaim Your Creativity in a Hyper-connected Work Culture,” by Chris Lewis, the pressure of this information overload is changing human behavior, and not always in good ways. He should know, based on his years of experience as a media trainer for senior politicians, business people and celebrities.
He sees the information overload as a major source of stress, a feeling of being constantly interrupted and out of control, and reduced focus on creativity. Lewis offers eight steps to reclaiming your creativity that I believe every entrepreneur should adopt:
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Quiet – creativity speaks quietly and needs concentration. It’s important to schedule some time for thinking each day, away from the noise and clutter, so we can refreshingly experience sounds, smells, touch, and the full senses. The enemies of this are multi-tasking and juggling. If you are concentrating on too many things, creativity will not come.
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Engage – creativity needs focus and commitment. Take the time to listen fully to the voices that really count, including your team leaders and customers. Also take the time to listen and believe in yourself. Take on and conquer your own fears and challenges, before you face the business challenges which require extra creativity.
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Dream – creativity needs imagination and free thinking. Research has long suggested links between dreams and creativity. It suggests that the dreams themselves--with their idiosyncratic imagery, colorful extrapolations on the same theme and nonjudgmental stance--model the free thinking that precedes actual creation.
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Relax – creativity requires patience and will not be forced. Sometimes your “Type A” personality works against you. You may never learn to love the queue or the line, but you can be calm in doing so. Ideas do not arrive by timetable. If you live by the clock, you may not allow creativity to intervene. Practice slowing down your pace once in a while.
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Release – let go and accept that you can’t do everything. Don’t push off the basics of life in favor of work – schedule and maintain time for sleep, exercise, and healthy eating. Find time for some any of the creative arts to jump-start your creativity – dance, art, non-work relationships, or other hobbies. This new-found creativity will spill over to your work.
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Repeat – experiments and repetition are the key. Scientists have long known that the best results come from controlled experiments, meaning that just one (or a few) factors are changed at a time, with repetition, while all others are kept constant. With information overload, too much input can lead to random tests with no creativity or analysis.
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Play – creativity comes from what you enjoy and love. You can’t play or enjoy things when you are constantly rushing. Take the time to explore new ideas and have deep conversations with creative people about things you enjoy. If you don’t enjoy the financial side of your business, find a partner to be creative there, so you can be creative in yours.
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Teach – people learn more about creativity helping others. The best mentors in business often find themselves learning as much as their mentees. You will find yourself creatively inspired by someone else’s style and ideas, and you can make them your own by improving them, changing them, or personalizing them in some way, and sharing.
Above all, remember that creativity in business is not a solo act. Good leadership is bringing out the best in creativity from all members of the team, through collaboration, customer engagement, incenting change, and publicly recognizing every contribution. To fight the negative impacts of the current information overload, what have you done today to foster your own creativity?