This is a series on cultivating creativity. Each part of the series will focus on one trick to kick your creativity into high gear.

You need a change of scene

Seeing the same room day in and day out, working with the same projects, seeing the same people.... well, it's enough to explain why your creative spark can feel all wet.

The Quick Fix

Get away from the office. Take a walk in the park or just lay on the grass and stare at the clouds while your mind wanders.

I'll go to the gym and ideas will come while I'm sweating on the elliptical. Go for a swim or go to the beach for a few hours and play in the sand, feel the breeze and smell the air. Sometimes all you need is a bit of visual and tactile refreshment. Any positive change of scenery can spark your right brain.

Interestingly, a poll in the UK showed that the people tend to come up with their best ideas in the most mundane places:

1. In bed
2. Outside
3. In the shower or bath
4. At work
5. In the car
6. On the toilet

I work from a home office and I'll go to a coffee shop to work once or twice a week. The smell of the coffee and comfy chairs and the idle chat with the barrista are a rich contrast to my sunny, cluttered office. The caffeine doesn't hurt the cause either.

Change your workspace

If you can't leave your office, try changing the atmosphere in your office because it could be what is stifling your creative mojo.

• Tidy up your space. A cluttered desk equals a cluttered mind. Put away those DVDs and tapes that are collecting dust. Clean your keyboard while you're at it. Not that it will help with your creativity, but do you know how many bacteria are camping out on your keyboard?
• Practice some feng shui by moving your office furniture. This will give you a new perspective in the room and hopefully a new perspective on your issues. I'd recommend getting a book on feng shui. It might be the fact that you have your back to the door and you're in a corner that is causing your problems. Gotta let that chi flow! Spaces for Ideas has some great tips on improving the feng shui in your office.
• Put some aromatic flowers or a plant on the desk. Research has shown that plants can increase ideas by 15%. The scent is a nice pick-me-up, just make sure you're not allergic or overwhelmed by the scent.
• Adjust the lighting Natural light is best for the body, but I know many video pros work in basements and windowless offices. Glare from the sun is bad on computer screens, but natural light can really change your mood and the sight of a squirrel or chipmunk outside the window is just really cute.
• Use color psychology to your advantage If you have some time and can paint your office, a different color, like purple or metallics, which are said to be colors that inspire creativity.

Have a couple of weeks?

If you can, REALLY get away from it all. How about India, Peru or Kenya! I found Oaxaca, Mexico, and the ruins of Monte Alban to be one of the most inspiring places I've ever visited. Just remember, everybody hates a tourist. Be a traveler and get to know the people of the country one-on-one.

Another instance of travel inspiration came to me in England in 1999 for the total eclipse. I met some seriously odd people, went to dinner with a bankrobber, and was basically trapped in Torquay for a week due to bad planning, but it was one of the best weeks of my life. I was completely inspired to write a screenplay. I'm still plan to do it after 8 years. Luckily this series is about inspiration, not procrastination.

Labels: Creativity, Tips