What is creative thinking and how can I improve?

It’s easy to get stuck in the same thought patterns, especially at work. However, those thought patterns may be hampering your innovation and keeping you stuck in routines that don’t serve you. 

Creative thinking shows us that there are many solutions to any problem, and developing your creative thinking skills helps you recognize innovative solutions more quickly. 

Plus, creativity was the most sought-after soft skill in 2020, so strengthening your creativity skills can set you apart at work, too.

Alongside critical thinking and focus, creative thinking is crucial to help recognize patterns that may not be obvious at first glance. Thinking creatively makes you a better problem-solver, which has far-reaching benefits in both your work and personal life.

Expressive, creative thinking helps us challenge our own assumptions, discover new things about ourselves and our perspective, stay mentally sharp, and even be more optimistic.

Many business leaders see creativity and innovation as something unpredictable, with 53% of businesses reporting that innovation occurs by chance. However, with the right tools, you can tap into creative thinking whenever you want.

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There are many ways to get your creative juices flowing, and practicing creative thinking strategies can help you think outside the box more readily and more often: 

• A go-to example for creative thinking may be the advertising executive coming up with creative campaigns by brainstorming with divergent thinking. However, that’s far from the only way to use creative thinking. 
• In STEM industries like biomedicine, stimulating creativity by asking open-ended questions and creating fictional scenarios helps professionals find innovative solutions to health problems. These questions encourage medical professionals to experiment and discover new ways of solving a persistent problem. 

Creative thinking is valuable in many situations, not just in traditionally creative industries. Whether you’re solving a problem, organizing your calendar, or at an impasse with your team, creative thinking can come in handy.

Here are 5 examples of using creative thinking in and out of the workplace:

1. Mind mapping for brainstorming: When tackling a new project, you create a mind map to explore various aspects and ideas. Start with the central concept in the middle of a page and branch out into subtopics, then further divide into smaller ideas. This visual representation helps you see connections and generate innovative solutions.
2. Reverse thinking: Instead of thinking about how to solve a problem, consider how to cause it. For example, if you're trying to improve customer service, think about what actions would lead to poor customer service. Identifying these actions can help you understand what to avoid and inspire ideas for improvement.
3. Combining unrelated concepts: Take two seemingly unrelated ideas and combine them to create something new. For instance, combining the concept of a café with a library led to the creation of a "book café," where people can read and enjoy coffee in a comfortable environment.
4. Role-playing: Put yourself in someone else's shoes to gain a new perspective. For example, if you're developing a new product, imagine you're the end-user and think about their needs, desires, and pain points. This can help you design more user-friendly and innovative products.
5. SCAMPER technique: Use the SCAMPER method to improve or innovate existing products or ideas. SCAMPER stands for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Reverse. By systematically applying these actions, you can generate new ideas and solutions. For instance, you might think about how to modify a traditional bicycle to create a more efficient electric bike.

The benefits of creative thinking

Creative thinking doesn’t just make you a better employee; it also makes you a better parent, student, and leader, too. By developing your creative thinking skills, the benefits of thinking creatively can show up throughout your daily life.

Here are a few major benefits of creative thinking.

Improved problem-solving capabilities

We don’t just solve problems at work, and we shouldn’t only use our creative thinking skills at work, either! Developing your creative thinking abilities can help you solve a wide variety of problems faster. 

As your mind becomes more accustomed to using different thought techniques, you’ll quickly recognize patterns that you might not have before.

Stronger interpersonal connections

Creative thinking can help you communicate your ideas more clearly, which leads to better conversations and relationships with your friends, family, and coworkers. 

Plus, many creative thinking methods work best when they’re done in a group. Developing new ideas together can strengthen bonds and help you combine ideas to create something truly innovative.

Heightened productivity

It may seem like creative thinking is a time-consuming distraction from your work, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. 

When we get stuck in thought patterns, it’s easy to get frustrated when something isn’t working correctly. That frustration can cause our productivity to plummet. 

Taking a moment and engaging in a creative thinking strategy can renew your motivation, reinvigorate your passion, and help you find new solutions when you’re stuck. 

Higher self-awareness

Creative thinking allows you to try on perspectives that you may not have considered before. 

As you’re exploring new perspectives, you may discover something about your own assumptions, viewpoints, or biases that you never noticed. 

Challenging your traditional way of thinking can offer higher self-awareness and build your emotional intelligence. With creative thinking, you strengthen your ability to reframe your perspective and harness a growth mindset.