Many students face periods of low productivity in their life when they feel creatively challenged. Their lack of creativity confidence prevents them from achieving big things in their student life. If you are a student and often think,
“I wish I were creative enough to do this” or “I can’t do this”, then you are not alone.
Many people tend to run into a creative block, especially as they grow older. However, it is not the end of the world. There are many things a student can do to deal with difficulties and improve their creativity. The only rule here is to make a genuine effort to stay motivated and inspired.
Why Is It Important to Prioritize Creativity?
Many psychological and educational experts believe creative skills are needed to succeed, especially in academics. It is also considered an important trait for a successful career in the future. Therefore, schools have a duty not only to develop creativity but also to value it as much as possible.
Creativity is also one of the most crucial skills for succeeding in the business world. Today’s students should learn independently, innovate constantly, and adapt to the changing environment. All of this is only possible if they can creatively make their way through the challenges they encounter.
Creativity increases motivation which enhances learning. It also allows a deeper understanding of concepts and promotes joy. These things are essential for better learning as they help students create and pursue meaningful goals, facilitating their development.
Some experts also argue creativity is a great predictor of college success. For example, a study on students taking the GRE revealed a correlation between higher scores and higher creativity. In addition to academic achievements, creativity makes learning more interesting and fun. It also leads to positive emotional engagement and joy among students, which leads to their overall well-being.
From simple team-building exercises to complex problems, many things foster creativity among students. Here are some ways to help students overcome creative blocks and improve their creativity.
How to Improve Creativity?
1. Find Accepting and Compassionate Environments
The first and the most important way to improve creativity is to find the right environment. Being creative requires a student to go out on a limb. Thus it is important to find the right people and surroundings that uplift you. Don’t be a part of a crowd that pulls you down for your mistakes. Instead, try to be with people who allow you to make mistakes in front of them, and you trust them to help you out, not make fun of you.
With compassionate, accepting environments, you will feel your creativity building automatically. When you are not afraid to share ideas, no matter how stupid or silly they might feel, that is when you give your creative self a much-needed boost.
2. Look for Feedback
Several students don’t know how creative they are unless someone gives them feedback. Thus, it is time to ask for feedback if you feel stuck in a creative block with poor problem-solving skills. The best thing is to ask one of your teachers for feedback regarding something you have done or are thinking about doing. This kind of constructive criticism helps students instill creative learning in their personalities.
Exploring the idea of creative competence is also important in addition to excelling in traditional academic competencies like math or literacy. Thus, students need to include creativity in their learning process.
3. Make an Effort to Be Creative
The creative process is not as simple as you think. While some people may be born creative, others need to make an effort to improve their creativity. Therefore, it is important to imagine, struggle and repeat several times to develop a creative solution for something.
When working on a project, think about different aspects and possible scenarios. Each different situation will bring a unique creative solution. However, this is only possible if you give yourself time to think creatively. Don’t rush into anything. Instead, sit back, take a deep breath and brainstorm. It’s the only way to reach a productive solution and defeat the creative block.
4. Use Activities to Practice Creative Thinking
There are plenty of activities to practice and improve creative thinking. Visual riddles or ‘droodles’ are a common practice teachers use to improve and promote creative thinking among students. Students can also do this activity independently with a group of people trying to improve their creativity. These are just simple line drawings that can have multiple meanings. Each person will have a different interpretation for the same drawings, which shows how creatively different minds think.
Free-writes and quick-writes are also great ways to improve creativity in students. These help you let go of your internal censor and write whatever comes to your mind. This technique allows you to tread avenues in your personality you may have never walked, even yourself. It improves creativity that has come to a standstill. In addition to these activities, painting, drawing, designing, and concept cartooning are great ways to enhance imagination. Unfortunately, many students get stuck while completing their assignments. Law assignment writing services can come in handy in these cases if you have run out of creative solutions to the problems in front of you.
5. Try the Reversal Method
Take any given situation and turn it around, upside down, backwards, or inside out. No matter what kind it is, a situation can be perceived differently. As a result, you will find a fresh angle to a familiar problem leading you to innovative solutions.
This activity is also a great way to stay inspired when creatively challenged. So, if you are thinking about how to keep yourself motivated, try this technique the next time you come across a difficult situation.
Bottom Line
Student life is not easy. Different problems require unique solutions. We often face creative blocks or feel we are not achieving anything. It is important to not feel disappointed during these times. You can improve your creativity with some simple techniques. It will need some work from your end, but the results will be great.
You can request your teachers to let you use your ideas. Don’t hold yourself back during discussions. Ask questions, regardless of how stupid they might sound. Your creative mind is budging you, and it is important not to shut it down. Don’t be afraid to present your ideas to others. Write them down somewhere if you think these are not worthy enough for the world to know. Come back to these ramblings later on, and you will be delighted to see how creative they are.
Improving creativity takes work and effort. Don’t give up and keep hustling. You will get there eventually.
Good luck!
