Cultivating creativity in your life and work

Written by: Anna Behning

May 17, 2021
I was 21-years-old, fresh out of college, and starting my first job as a cost accountant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. One day I came into work and my boss and co-worker pulled me into a meeting to discuss a new way to project our future monthly income based on our current projects. They basically laid out their ideas and gave me the freedom to come up with how to implement it. I had to get CREATIVE.

It took me about 4 weeks to get an excel spreadsheet laid out with monthly projected income rates and graphs that showed these projections visually. Was it perfect? Probably not. But I did have to dive deep in to my creative side to execute this task.

Now, it’s pretty obvious that as a full-time photographer, I have to dive deep into my visual creativity every day. However, something I’m noticing more and more is that business (and honestly any job out there) requires a little bit of creativity.
If you’re feeling stuck in your job, life, or personal development, it’s time to get creative. Try using some of my favorite techniques to brainstorm new ways to be creative in your work:

1. Grab a journal, play an upbeat song, and for the entirety of the song write down ideas on how to be more efficient in your work or life.
2. Find a comfortable place to sit, focus on your breathing, and re-live the perfect day at work or at home in your head.
3. Try a new restaurant by yourself, order something different than you normally would, and people watch while you eat.
4. Disconnect. Turn your phone off for 24 hours. NO social media, news, or endless scrolling.
5. Set a timer for every 30 minutes to stand up, stretch, and look away from a screen.
6. Ask a coworker or friend out to lunch and ask if they are being intentional with any areas of their life lately.

The list could go on and on, but the main point is this: get out of your day-to-day routine and see things from a different perspective.

Now get off social media and start CREATING the life you want to live.