How to spark your creativity: 15 mindful ways to get inspired
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA
Has your life been feeling a little dull or uninspired? Explore how you can spark more creativity into your life with 15 easy ways to ignite your imagination every day.
You know those moments when everything feels a little… dull? When your brain is on autopilot, and fresh ideas seem out of reach? We’ve all been there. Whether it’s in our personal lives or at work, creativity can sometimes feel like a supply closet we’ve been locked out of.
The good news is that creativity isn’t finite and it’s natural that it comes and goes. If you’re simply not feeling creative today, that’s okay — taking time to rest is healthy for both the body and the mind. But if it’s been a while and you’re looking for a boost to your creativity, we’ve got your back.
There are simple and mindful ways that you can spark inspiration, and you don’t need endless free time or a momentous idea in order to get your inspiration flowing again. All you need is just a little time and an open mind.
How to spark your creativity: 15 simple tips to be more creative everyday
Many of us mistakenly think that creativity is reserved for famous artists, musicians, and writers, but it’s actually a mindset. Creativity is a way of seeing the world with curiosity and openness. You don’t have to be some Grammy award winner in order to be creative, and you also don't have to wait for inspiration to strike to practice creativity. It’s really about how we problem-solve, how we connect with others, and even how we find joy in the everyday.
Here are 15 mindful and practical ways to get our creative juices flowing and put a little more mojo back into our day.
1. Start your day with a creative practice
Mornings help to set the tone for your day. Instead of immediately checking emails or scrolling on your phone, try to spend 5–10 minutes engaging in a creative practice. By doing this, you can help prime your mind to think in new ways throughout the day.
Doodling something can help activate your brain. Creating a morning playlist can also help put you in an inspiring mood. And if you like changing things up, you could rearrange a small part of your home. Even just shifting a few objects can help give you a new perspective.
2. Get a change your scenery
When you feel uninspired, a change of scenery can help reset your brain and encourage fresh ideas. New surroundings can provide different sensory inputs and can help your brain start to form fresh connections.
Taking your laptop to a café or a park can help give you a new change of pace. You could also go for a walk and try focusing on the details around you. Or keep it super simple and just move to a different room in your home.
3. Embrace boredom
In our modern world, we’re so used to filling every spare moment with distractions (and our phones) that we rarely ever allow ourselves to be bored. Believe it or not, necessity is the mother of invention, and boredom can be a great gateway to creativity. When our mind isn’t occupied, it can usually start to make a lot of unexpected connections. (Here are six other surprising benefits of boredom.)
The next time you’re feeling bored, instead of automatically reaching for your phone, consider letting your mind wander. Maybe stare out the window or just watch how the light moves throughout your room.
4. Practice mindfulness
Typically, in order to be creative, you also need to be aware. When you slow down and notice the world around you, a lot of the time, natural inspiration can come to you. Grounding yourself in sensory experiences can also help to create more opportunities for imagination.
To help you become more aware and grounded, try doing the 5-4-3-2-1 mindfulness exercise. All you have to do is name:
Five things you see
Four things you hear
Three things you feel
Two things you smell
One thing you taste.
5. Make something with your hands
Using your hands can help activate different parts of your brain and encourage new ideas to flow.
Cooking without a recipe or crafting something small like origami could help you unlock some creative thinking. Also, playing with clay, LEGOs, or anything tactile could do the trick.
6. Take a “nothing” break
Tiny pauses where you do nothing can help create mental space for ideas to emerge. The next time you have a second, consider just sitting, breathing, and doing absolutely nada.
Try closing your eyes and taking three slow and deep breaths. Then let your mind wander with no agenda. Open your eyes after this mini pause and notice if you feel a little more refreshed.
7. Use music to shift your mindset
Music can have a profound effect on creativity. And different types of music can help engage different parts of our brain.
If you’re wanting to focus, consider throwing on some instrumental music. If you want to energize your mind, maybe listen to some upbeat music. You could also experiment with new music to help engage your mind. It just might surprise you — and your brain.
💙 Listen to our Afternoon Pick-Me-Up instrumental playlist if you want to spark some creativity today.
8. Try a quick visualization exercise
Sometimes when you engage your senses in a new way, it can help unlock new ways of thinking.
Consider closing your eyes and picturing a place you’ve never been, like a foggy mountain or an underwater city.
Then ask yourself:
“What colors do you see?”
“What’s the air like?”
“What sounds do you hear?”
These questions can help get your mind flowing. Here are eight other visualization exercises you can try as well.
9. Give gratitude a try
Many times when we focus on the good in our lives, this can help us create more mental space for new ideas. To help get you in a more grateful mood, try jotting down three good things that happened today.
You can write down whatever comes to your mind, big or small. Maybe it was a great talk with a friend or a funny moment with your mom. A simple practice like this can help shift your perspective and remind you to notice more inspiration in your daily life.
💙 Explore having Gratitude for the Day with Chibs Okereke next time you need to focus on the good.
10. Read or watch something outside your usual interests
We tend to consume the same types of content over and over, and while there’s nothing wrong with your favorite book or your comfort show, creativity thrives on newness. Instead of turning to your normal social media feed or whatever your content of choice is, maybe consider reading a book. Or, if you normally read business books, try giving poetry a chance.
Expanding your knowledge outside your comfort zone can give your brain fresh material to work with and can help you make connections you usually wouldn’t.
11. Keep an ideas notebook
So often, we have a brilliant idea, but it happens at the worst possible time (like in the middle of a shower or right as we’re about to fall asleep). We think the idea is so good that we couldn’t possibly forget it, so we don’t write it down. And then… we do forget.
To break this cycle of forgetting, try keeping an “ideas” notebook or a notes app on your phone. This can help you capture thoughts as they come, no matter how raw or messy they are. And try not to judge yourself if it’s a “bad” idea. The important part is to get it down. You never know; it might turn into something great later.
12. Give freewriting a shot
We all have to write for some part of our lives. Maybe it’s work, staying in touch with friends, or just for pleasure. If you tend to overanalyze every idea before even putting it down on paper, consider a freewriting exercise. This can help you bypass your inner critic and get more of your ideas out.
Try setting a timer for 5-10 minutes. Then write continuously without stopping or editing. If you don’t know what to write, that’s okay. Maybe then just write, “I have no idea what to say.” You might end up with nonsense, but you also could end up with unexpected insights.
13. Change how you consume media
We can be inundated with passive entertainment like TV, social media, and streaming services. And while these can be fun, they often put us in consumption mode rather than creation mode.
To help get you into a more creative mood, consider watching a documentary you usually wouldn’t watch or listening to a podcast that challenges your views. Maybe seek out a foreign film. When we consume new kinds of content, our brains can naturally start to make new creative insights.
💙 Consider listening to Sketches of Harlem with Don Cheadle if you’ve never listened to a Sleep Story before.
14. Move your body
Studies show that activities like walking, stretching, and dancing can increase brain connectivity and make it easier for you to shake loose stuck ideas.
If you’re a fan of movement-based activities like yoga and tai chi, these could be great exercises to add to your routine as they can help refresh your brain. (If you want to get more into yoga, here are five simple, stress-relieving poses you can try.)
15. Let your curiosity flag fly
Too often, we dismiss things that interest us because they don’t seem “useful” or “productive.” But actually, some of the most creative discoveries can come from simply following what intrigues you.
If something sparks your curiosity, try to dive in without hesitation. Curiosity is fuel for creativity, so go read a random Wikipedia article that catches your eye or visit a museum or library just to wander.
💙 Listen to Awareness for Curious Cats if you want to stimulate some curiosity in your life.
How to spark creativity FAQs
What are some easy ways to activate my creativity?
Creativity doesn’t have to be a complicated and time-consuming thing. Some of the simplest activities can really help to unlock your imagination. If you feel like you’re in a rut, try to shake things up to help get your brain out of autopilot.
Here are five ways that can help ignite your imagination:
Take a short distraction-free walk.
Freewrite for just five minutes without worrying about structure.
Listen to a different music genre than you’re used to.
Cook a new recipe.
Rearrange your usual workspace.
What are examples of simple creative projects or activities?
A lot of people think you need fancy supplies or tons of time in order to tap into creativity. But there are plenty of easy and quick ways to engage your creative juices. Here are some simple activities you can try:
Journaling, doodling, or playing with poetry: Drawing, creating a haiku, or writing six-word stories could be a fun, low-pressure way to kickstart your imagination.
DIY craft project: Painting or putting together that bookshelf you’ve always wanted to make might be just the thing to inspire you.
Photography: Taking pictures and experimenting with different angles, lighting, or themes can help you see the world in a new way.
Cooking is also an art form: Making a meal without a recipe or plating your food like a chef could make not only your eyes and stomach happy but also your soul.
Storytelling: Coming up with a backstory for a stranger you see in public or inventing an alternate ending to a favorite movie can help your mind play and could help get you in a silly, creative mood.
Can mindfulness help with my creativity?
Mindfulness and creativity go well together because both require you to be present and aware of your surroundings. When you slow down and pay attention to the little details, this can help train your brain to notice things that it might normally overlook. And this heightened awareness can help to fuel inspiration.
Some mindfulness exercises like deep breathing and guided visualizations can also help to clear your mental clutter and make space for new ideas. If you’re feeling stuck, try stepping outside and focusing on the sounds around you. When your mind isn’t racing with distractions, creativity has a little more space to bloom.
What are some quick creativity exercises?
If you only have a few minutes but want to give your creativity a boost, there are tons of quick exercises you can try. One activity you could do is to play a word association game. Start by picking a random word and then writing down the first thing that comes to mind. Then just keep going to see where that leads.
Another activity you could try is “object transformation.” First, pick an everyday object, like a fork, and then brainstorm all the different ways it could be used in a story. You could do a five-minute sketch of something in front of you or in the current space you’re in if you like drawing.
If writing’s more your speed, consider doing a “one-minute story” challenge. You could set a timer and write a tiny story from start to finish. And as a rule of thumb, try to remind yourself that the goal isn’t perfection. It’s to get your brain into a playful and exploratory mode.
How can I be creative when I feel uninspired?
You don’t have to wait for inspiration to strike you. If you’re not feeling particularly creative, try to make the conditions that make it more likely to show up.
One way you can do this is by stepping away and doing something completely different. This can give your brain the space it needs to make new connections without pressure. Taking a walk or even doing a mundane task like unloading the dishwasher can also give your brain a chance to wander.
If you need a push, try setting a timer for five minutes and committing to a certain activity like drawing or brainstorming. If that doesn’t work, consider exposing yourself to new ideas. You could read a book, watch a documentary, or talk with someone outside your usual circle. A lot of times, creativity is sparked by curiosity, so when in doubt, try to follow whatever interests you.
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