The importance of creativity for your sanity

By Mark Simmonds 

Did you know that the average human being has over 60,000 thoughts every day? And that is certainly not a good thing. The reason why too much thinking is a bad thing is that a crowded mind can lead to feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression which is why meditation, mindfulness, and yoga have become such popular pastimes during the last 10 years or so.

Their chief aim is to stop us from over-thinking. Well, guess what? There is now a new kid on the block, another ‘therapy’ that can contribute to mental wellbeing and that’s creativity. The reason why this is such good news is that it offers us two for the price of one.

When you are being creative, for example carrying out activities such as drawing, writing, knitting, gardening, planning a party, designing a room, your mind is ‘in the flow’. It’s totally absorbed with what you are doing, your heart rate slows down, and your brain is given a much-needed break from the stressful thoughts of the day today.

Even better, the joy that you are now getting from the experience means that feel-good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin are being released into the bloodstream at the same time. And the more of those you have in the system, the more encouraged you will be to continue being creatively productive. Your creativity becomes a healthy addiction of sorts.

So not only are you creating something new and exciting, but you are also remaining on the mental straight and narrow at the same time. Creativity acts as a natural anti-depressant and a stimulant at the same time. That’s why it’s two for one.

How to be more creative at home

So, now that we know that creativity is a good thing, what can we do to become more creative at home.
First of all, you need to have the right conditions for the brain to be at its creative best:

1. Establish oases of creativity. These are places, both big and small that provide you with inspiration, minor and major. Big oases first. My working space at home is a cacophony of colour (post-it notes and all the pens of the rainbow), photographs of loved ones in full sight, and a window sill packed full of potted plants.

Our kitchen has become our ‘Costa at Home’, a place for the family to loiter and laugh during Lockdown, mid-morning, and mid-afternoon. In between 9 pm and 10 pm every evening, our TV room becomes the cinema with different showings 3 nights a week (Peaky Blinders on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Schitt’s Creek on Wednesday, and David Attenborough’s ‘A Perfect Planet’ on a Sunday).

Smaller oases of creativity in the home include my sock drawer, up until 3 years ago, a sombre show of blacks and greys, but now a dazzling display of reds, yellows, blues, and greens. A small injection of colour to kickstart the day; and my Bose headphones sit patiently next to my home computer, a gateway to a myriad of inspiring and entertaining YouTube films and videos when I am in need of introvert time.

2. Move with your mood. The brain is like a temperamental child that demands attention. It has its moods. First thing in the morning, its attention span is high, so time for work that requires clear thinking, completing tasks, and crossing items off the ‘to-do list’.

At around 11 am it demands a break, some caffeine, and a bit of chit chat with other family members, so time for Costa. Just after lunch, it screams for some fresh air so that’s what it gets. Early in the afternoon, it hits a brick wall, goes on strike, and therefore gets a 30-minute nap which sees it through the rest of the afternoon. And just before lights out at 11 pm, it expects a bit of pampering and reward for a hard day’s work, so time for a hot steaming bath whilst listening to the radio, before a book at bedtime. In return, the brain allows its creative juices to flow fluently throughout the day. That’s the deal.

3. Make time for the mundane. Do you know why fresh thoughts often flood out of our heads whilst we are taking a shower in the morning? It’s because our brains are still empty and uncluttered with the rubbish of the day.

Overnight, the sub-conscious has been whirring away, working on problems, connecting all the dots, and first thing in the morning, it’s ready to deliver them at your doorstep. That’s why you must always keep a post-it note pad and pen in the bathroom. Wait an hour and the moment will have passed as the brain quickly gets bombarded by more pressing thoughts that require your immediate attention.

Going for a mindful walk or doing some focused weeding in the garden will also allow the sub-conscious to come out to play. Creativity loves the mundane!

Being creative: The right conditions

Once you have established the right conditions, it’s now time to get creative, and this falls into two categories:
a. Creative twists to daily routines. We are all busy, particularly parents stuck at home with demanding kids, 24/7 during Lockdown. So, the easiest way in which you can exercise your creative muscles is to add a simple and surprising twist to something you already do.

My daughter, Emily, always had lunch during the week, but now, her mindful preparation of lunch is as follows: the toast is the face, rocket salad the hair, two poached eggs are the eyes, a juicy tomato becomes the big red nose and Sriracha sauce makes for a very fetching smile. My daughter is 24. I come into my own on a Saturday evening as the Gin King of Stewkley – 3 different gins, 3 different tonics, 3 different garnishes, 3 different shaped glasses.

The combinations are endless and the final result for our ‘guests’ to the Costa turned Cocktail Bar is surprisingly acceptable. And does every Zoom call with friends and family have to follow the same predictable format? What would happen if you combined Mock the Week with a Zoom call, every person providing an impromptu comment on a caption from the week. Or Match of the Day where the group dissect clips from a football match? Or University Challenge? Two competing teams where everybody makes up their own unique buzzer sound? Or Strictly Come Dancing? Let your imagination run wild on that one. Creativity is often the collision of different ideas that already exist. It’s really not that hard!

b. A side hustle with purpose. Getting through Lockdown would be a lot easier if you could find a pet project to get your teeth into, and if that project required you to use your creative brain, so much the better. The trick is identifying something that gives you a clear sense of purpose.

For some people, that might mean learning to play a musical instrument or committing to that much-delayed project in the garden. For others, it could be writing a book or dedicating oneself to a charitable cause. My side hustle is contributing to the mental health crusade by writing books and articles, producing home-made videos, and taking part in podcasts and conversations on the radio. It doesn’t matter what it is as long as it gives you a real sense of purpose. Purpose will then lead to passion and passion will give you the gift of perseverance.

So, in summary, creativity is good for sanity and sanity is also very good for creativity. First of all, establish the right conditions and habits for creativity to survive and thrive. Secondly, identify a number of daily routines that you can sprinkle with your creative juices.

Thirdly, find a side hustle with purpose that you are passionate about to help you while away those hours in Lockdown. Remember creativity and sanity are meant for one another. So, embrace the former to protect the latter.

About the author

Mark Simmonds is a creativity, insight, and innovation expert and the founder of GENIUS YOU – a company that helps teams develop winning ideas by strengthening creative muscles.

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