As digital professionals, we at Treefrog work in many creative capacities as designers, programmers, and marketers. We’re always finding creative solutions to problems. It’s our job. So what do we do to stay creative?
You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have. Maya Angelou
Creativity is often viewed as a finite resource, unequally bestowed at birth. While some personality types are more inclined to be creative, the secret is that creativity is a skill that anyone can hone. The reason it’s easy for creative people to be creative isn’t due to some intrinsic gift, it’s because they’re always being creative. They’ve got practice. It’s easy to fall into the same patterns of thought and behavior, but when you’re constantly pushing your boundaries, it’s the pushing that becomes the habit. Rather than waiting around for inspiration to strike, you can be creative on demand.
Practicing creativity in daily life doesn’t just make it instinctive, it also results in more imaginative, original, and innovative ideas. It’s like any other skill: you get better with experience. The best part is, taking part in a creative activity in one medium does not limit your creative growth to that medium. You improve across the board, whether the activity is physical, digital, or merely conceptual. It’s the way of thinking that’s important.
Each of us at Treefrog have our own ways of staying creative. Our hobbies are very diverse, including writing, photography, costuming, cooking, and more. Some are digital, like our work, and some we love because they give us a chance to step away from our computers.
This series will explore the many ways we hone our creative talents outside the office. With Halloween just around the corner, we’ll start off next week with a look at costuming.
