10 Ways To Improve Your Creativity

Are you looking for some fresh ideas to help you become a better designer? Read on and discover our top 10 ways to improve your creativity!

Today, creativity is one of the most wanted skills to have, especially in professions connected to digital products. Yet, it isn’t always easy to be creative. Sometimes, the imposter syndrome kicks in and you start comparing your ways & levels of creativity with others.

Maybe you don’t have issues with your creativity compared to others, but you become overwhelmed or uninspired after a while. Or, you’re merely looking for new ways to improve your creativity and become a better designer.
Whatever the case might be, we understand it.
That’s why we’re bringing you 10 ways to improve your creativity.

One of the ways to improve your creativity in the present, is to look into the past. In other words, you’ll want to become familiar with what went on before you. Invest in design books, even though the products you design are maybe not within the same niche.

Learning more about previous movements will familiarize you with ideas & concepts which were ahead of their time. Moreover, you’ll become more confident in thinking outside the box.
Secondly, learning about art fundamentals, such as form, composition, balance, and complementary colors, could also help you get a broader idea of how humans visualize things surrounding them. Such insight might teach you to go a step further and recognize what is not visible to an average spectator.

Explore other types of art that surround you: watch movies or listen to music.
We all have our favorite songs that boost our mood. Some studies show how music could help you perform better in “divergent” thinking, aka making fresh combinations, recognizing connections, or converting information into refined models. 

Now and then, you’ll come to the point where words seem to fall short. 
That’s where sketching comes into play. Today, sketching is a very underrated skill. Most of the designers skip that part and go straight to the computer.
This could take longer and result in hard times with getting design ideas.

Most UX designers are not professional artists, so they sketch to improve their creativity and visual communication skills, which are vital for the UX profession. Keep a sketchbook nearby and sketch, especially when conceiving a new design. Soon you’ll notice how the ideas emerge much quicker than before.

The choice is yours – whether it’s an accredited art school, a community college, professional training, online course, conference, or a workshop, there is no justification for not getting educated. 

Education will bring you more knowledge and improve your creativity by providing guidelines & confidence in choosing the suitable approaches. 
It will become easier for you to stand out in the crowd. You’ll be able to build a better portfolio, and finally, build designs of more significant worth.

If art or design school is not an option, there are numerous options for you online. 
To deepen your design knowledge, visit our homepage.

Another way to improve your creativity is to ask other professionals for feedback. It might sound daunting or even confidence-crushing, but it’s crucial to get constructive feedback to learn both possible pain points and excellencies.

Learning about your pain points will challenge you into focusing and eventually improving. If you believe you’re not able to progress on your own, consider getting a mentor.
There’s nothing shameful in asking for help. It can bring you a breath of fresh air in terms of perspectives.

Design whenever you have the chance. It might sound easier said than done, but it’s true. Design for yourself, your community, or start offering your design services on freelance platforms. Make sure to stay constantly busy designing.

Staying on top of trends and practices will improve your progress, and the volume will improve your creativity in design.

Brainstorming creates an environment that will entice you to openly give birth to new thoughts and ideas. There are two types of brainstorming: individual brainstorming and group brainstorming.

Individual brainstorming works best for developing simple solutions that don’t have to include a bigger group. During the individual brainstorm, you develop new ideas without fear of being constrained while in a group.
You are free to be yourself and can explore multiple ideas without any shame.
The best way is to get a piece of paper or use a blackboard and then write down everything that pops into your mind.

The more ideas you throw out, the more refined they will get.

Group brainstorming sessions include everyone throwing ideas at another, and then you work together to develop them further. Group brainstorms come in handy when there is a complex issue (or even several of them).

There are several techniques of group brainstorms:

Whenever you are brainstorming, individually or in a group, make sure to remember to “think outside the box.” Count all ideas, don’t be shy or dwell too much, and consider all perspectives.

Six Thinking Hats is a brilliant way to improve your creativity.

This technique allows you to look at a challenge from different perspectives.

Utilize Mind Maps to improve your creativity by obtaining information and generating new ideas. Mind Mapping means creating a diagram with words, ideas, or items arranged around a central concept. It can transform your tedious pile of information into a mind-opening chart. 

Using mind maps can help you see a bigger picture and fight possible creativity blocks. With a combination of keywords, images, and visual-spatial awareness, mind maps will make you take various interconnected thoughts and gather them in one place. You can do mind mapping on a piece of paper or explore some mind mapping apps.

The Snowball Technique is another fantastic way to improve your creativity.
It enables you to generate multiple ideas that you can use for other projects instead of discarding them.

For this method, it’s best to gather in a circle with 4-6 team members.

First, you designate the theme. Then, everybody writes down their first thought about the theme. These observations are passed to the colleague next to you, who writes a remark or challenges that observation. This practice continues until everyone’s got their initial comment back. 

This method will give you a deeper insight into how other people think of the same subject and make your creative juices flow.

Yes, we’re serious – sometimes the best way to improve creativity is to unplug and stay away for a while. When you’re constantly trying to make your brain deliver the next greatest idea, it’s easy to get tired.

Take some time to recharge. Get a warm shower, take a walk or go hiking.
Relax by sleeping or going to the sauna. You can also do something else that you love – such as painting or playing an instrument.
As a result, you’ll combat stress & improve your creativity at the same time.

There are many ways to improve your creativity besides these we just laid out. But, the most important thing is that you try out multiple things until you figure out what works best.

Keep yourself constantly in the game: keep your mind inspired, your work evaluated, your processes organized. By trying to overcome your boundaries, not only will your creativity grow – you’ll also grow as a person. 

And that’s our 10 ways to improve your creativity! 

If you want to read more about creative design topics, such as UX design or design in general, visit our blog. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out to us by email. 

We’d be more than happy to be your go-to option for guidance and inspiration throughout your creative journey.