Reflecting on my schooling years, I have come to realise how certain teachers were truly exceptional. I’m sure you can relate to stories about individuals who went far beyond the curriculum and equipped you with tools for how to think that you still use to this day.

I was privileged to have had a few teachers that influenced my thinking positively and in this article, I want to share something I learned from my Design teacher Andrew Putter. Andrew was a remarkable teacher, he was edgy, cool, and relatable and spoke to us students like peers. One thing he was concerned with, was equipping us with practical skills to think creatively.

Creativity is so often unnecessarily cloaked in mystery. The trope of the reclusive artist is far too pervasive. Creativity is like a muscle, one you can certainly train.

Creative thinking is a valuable skill that can help individuals in all aspects of their lives, from problem-solving to innovation and personal growth. It’s a tremendously valuable skill in business that all companies should entrench in their cultures.

Here are 5 exercises to help stimulate creative thinking and help you learn how to flex your creative muscle:

1. Mind mapping: Mind mapping is a great way to organize thoughts and ideas and can help to stimulate creative thinking. Start by writing a central idea or concept in the middle of a piece of paper, then draw lines out from that idea and add related thoughts, ideas, and associations. This exercise helps you to visualize connections between different ideas and can help to spark new and innovative thoughts. It seems overly simple, but it’s a practice I use commonly. It helps train the brain to see patterns that weren’t previously obvious and to make associations faster. This is massively helpful when trying to unpack a creative brief or solve a particular problem.
2. Free writing: Free writing is a great way to get the creative juices flowing. Start by setting a timer for 10-15 minutes and writing whatever comes to mind without stopping or editing. The goal of this exercise is to let your thoughts flow freely and not be impeded by self-criticism. It takes a while for the process to really set in, so don’t worry if at first, you don’t find it helpful. It’s like meditation, practice, and focus.
3. Word association: Also simple, and quite fun, but effective! Start by writing a word or phrase, then write the first word that comes to mind in response to it. Continue this process for several minutes, and you’ll be surprised at how many new ideas and connections you’ll come up with. This is a great excersize to practice with a team. Start with a word and go around the circle as long as you can.
4. The Random Object Exercise: Gather a few random objects, such as a pencil, a rock, a bottle, etc. Spend a few minutes brainstorming different ways these objects could be used creatively. For example, the pencil could be used as a drumstick, the rock could be used as a paperweight, and the bottle could be used as a vase. This exercise helps to train your brain to think outside the box and see things in a new light. A way of extending this is to start thinking about how the objects could be combined. For example, if you took a flashlight and a cell phone 15 years ago and did this exercise you might have come up with the idea to put flashlights on phones.
5. The “What If” exercise: This exercise is about asking “What if” questions to yourself. Start by asking yourself “What if” questions about a problem or challenge you’re facing. For example, “What if I could solve this problem in a completely different way?” This exercise encourages you to think creatively and come up with new and innovative solutions. This isn’t to make you anxious that all your ideas, instincts, plans, and processes are wrong, but rather to reinforce the process of iteration and optimisation.

To truly benefit from these processes, you need to do them consistently and with an open mind. Agencies and businesses should start by setting aside 10 minutes in any stand-up meeting and try out at least one of these practices. Trust me, you’ll be amazed by the results.