Unlock Creativity Outside of the Office

At one point or another, we have all had our creativity halted within the walls of our office. Engaging in the exact same routine all of the time and seeing the same walls on a daily basis can certainly make you run into a mental roadblock, and I've been there before. With that said, there are ways to switch things up. I've found that it can be very beneficial to both your creativity and your mind to sometimes take your work elsewhere, if just temporarily.

Personally, one place that I like to head over to to enhance my creativity is any of the local coffee shops. For me, it's peaceful and a good change of pace. Here, I would like to share with you some of the benefits of getting creative out of the office.

1. A change of environment is key: As I said, when you're within the same set of walls each day, it can become mentally exhausting. Even by changing up your routine for just one day, you'll see the difference; I have. It helps you to appreciate the world around you, which can generate new ideas in your mind!
2. Fewer distractions can be a huge help: In almost any workplace, there will be distractions, especially in an office setting. It's the proverbial "nature of the beast," and for the most part, it can't be avoided. By taking your work elsewhere for a little bit, you'll find it to be much more peaceful, in that distractions aren't in every direction. For example, aside from somewhere like a coffee shop, try taking your work to a local park or even a library when it will be quiet.
3. Take up new hobbies and meet new people: This is one that has helped me to unlock creativity in the past, and it's one that you should strongly consider as well. Consider taking up a hobby outside of work, perhaps even something you haven't really dipped into that much before. This way, you can engage yourself in new surroundings and experiences as well as have the chance to meet new people. Not only that, but you can feed off of their ideas and see what they have to say about things. For example, I recently took up learning how to play guitar, and that alone, for various reasons, has helped me become more patient, relaxed, and creative.
4. Fun environments can be helpful: You're always having meetings in the office, so why not have one or two outside of it? For one of your upcoming meetings, consider bringing up the idea of you and the other participants going out to grab a bite to eat, possibly outside. By going out for lunch, the new surroundings will be fun, put you and the rest of your team at ease, and will possibly spark some new ideas and, ultimately, unlock creativity.

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In what ways do you unleash your creativity? Let myself and others know in the comments below.