How to train yourself to be more innovative

a lady presenting in front of a whiteboard

You feel like you’ve been stuck in a rut lately.

You’re not sure what’s going on, but you’re just not as creative as you used to be. Ideas don’t come to you as easily and your work is starting to suffer because of it.

Don’t worry, you’re not alone. A lot of people go through periods like this, but thankfully, there are ways to get yourself out of it. In this post, we will talk about how to train yourself to be more innovative so that you can start generating new ideas again.

Break the rules
creativity doesn't need limits

Image Credits: unsplash.com

You’ve heard it before: break the rules. But what does that mean?

It means not being afraid to think outside the box, experiment, and innovate. It means not being terrified to try something new, even if it doesn’t work the first time. It means being okay with failure.

Just as Thomas A. Edison once said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” And that’s the key to innovation—trial and error, experimentation.

You need to be willing to take risks. You need to be able to think on your feet and come up with new solutions when the going gets tough. It takes practice, but if you’re committed to becoming more innovative, you can do it. It starts with breaking the rules and thinking outside the box.

Be open to new ideas

When you’re open to new ideas, you’re more likely to come up with fresh solutions to problems. It’s all about being receptive to new possibilities and keeping an unrestricted mind.

Too often, people are resistant to change and they stick to what they know. But the truth is, the world is constantly changing and if you want to stay ahead of the curve, you need to be open to new notions.

The best way to train yourself to be more innovative is to expose yourself to fresh views. Read books, watch documentaries, attend talks and workshops—anything that will help you learn about unexplored subjects.

When you’re exposed to new ideas, it’s easier for your brain to come up with fresh solutions. So make it a habit to always be learning and expanding your horizons. You never know when a unique thought will strike, so it’s always best to be prepared.

Take moments to daydream
a woman looking out of the window from her desk

Image Credits: verywellmind.com

Let your mind wander and explore new possibilities. When you’re stuck, it can be tough to come up with new ideas. But if you’re willing to put in a little extra effort, you can train yourself to be more innovative.

Start by taking some time to daydream. When you come across something that catches your interest, write it down or sketch it out. Then, try to take that sentiment and run with it. See if you can come up with a plan to make it a reality. The more you practice, the easier it will be to come up with ingenious resolutions to problems.

Set aside time for brainstorming

If you’re feeling stagnant at work, it might be because you’re not taking the time to come up with unexplored conceptions. And the best way to do that is by setting aside some time for brainstorming.

During this time, you should allow yourself to be completely creative and come up with as many possibilities as possible. Don’t worry about whether they’re good or bad—just let your mind run wild. And then, once you’ve got a bunch of ideas, start sorting through them and see which ones might work.

Tip: It is simpler to identify suitable strategies when a summary of a brainstorming session’s creative contributions and team recommendations is visually created. Information should be graphically mapped out to help you and your coworkers see the connections between outputs and determine what to do next.

Wake up your brain with a 20-minute walk
two coworkers walking and talking

Image Credits: thriveglobal.com

You may think that you need to be born with a natural gift for creativity to be inventive. But that’s not the case. Anyone can train themselves to be more innovative if they know how.

One way to do this is by waking up your brain with a 20-minute walk. This gets your blood flowing and helps you start thinking more creatively. The fresh air is also a great way to clear your head and come up with untried concepts.

As you tread through the gardens or buildings outdoors, pen down any ideas that come to mind on your phone, no matter how crazy they seem. And don’t be afraid to share these opinions with others—the more input you get, the better it is.

You can do many things to start training yourself to be more creative. First, start by being open to new ideas and change. Next, try to come up with fresh ways of doing things, even if they may seem a little absurd at first. Finally, get out and explore the latest happenings in your industry and beyond. With a little endeavor, you can start training yourself to be more innovative and open up new prospects for yourself and your career.

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