The Power of Planning: 5 Habits to Boost Creativity and Effectiveness

Organisation and routine are often thought to destroy creativity, as creativity is non-structured, unpredictable, 1% perspiration and 99% inspiration. It may be true that individuals with a natural creative spark may not be the most organised person you know, however, if you examine the actual working habits of highly creative people, you’ll find the abundance of plans and routines.

Highly creative people who perpetually live (and breathe) in the creative zone don’t sit around for creativity to happen by chance or by random stroke of inspiration. Instead, they actively create an environment to be both highly creative and highly effective.

99% Perspiration and 1% Inspiration

Contrary to popular belief, creativity isn’t the result of pixie dust. If you are in the creative industry, you would already have known that creativity is ton of hard work. We have gathered a list of habits to cultivate this new year so that you’ll be at the top of your creative game. You’ll discover how planning (the right way) does not make you boring, stuffy and repetitive, but nurtures the creative genius in you and sets you up for success.

1. Use a Planner

Having a planner, as its name tells you, facilitates planning. It gives you a clear view of what needs to be done and reduces the stress of remembering the million and one tasks on your plate.

2. Make Creativity a Ritual

Just like how our muscles can be trained at the gym, our brain can be trained to conjure its creative state. Do you condition your mind to be productive and creative from the onset of the day? Do you have a designated space where your brain knows it’s time to switch to ‘creative mode’?

The best way to condition your mind is to create your very own inspiration corner – a personal workspace to do all things creative. Whether it is developing your next awesome marketing campaign or planning an out-of-this-world birthday party, the environment is a sub-conscious way of telling your mind “time to dream and create remarkable things.”.

Set a specific time daily just to be creative. It is no coincidence renowned playwright, novelist and author, W. Somerset Maugham, says

I write only when inspiration strikes. Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o’clock sharp.

3. Create Mindmaps

Mindmaps are diagrams that connect information around a central object. It can be used for pretty much any thinking or learning task such as brainstorming, planning, decision-making, memory or interactive presentations. Using words, images, patterns and colours, mindmaps are great tools to unleash your brain’s creativity and potential.

Arm your inspirational workspace with blank paper and coloured pens to create effective mindmaps. Even though there are many mindmapping tools available online, nothing beats the flexibility and simplicity of the conventional pen and paper.

4. Write, Doodle, List

Ideas can happen anywhere. Inspiration may spring out as you make your way to the rush hour train, or during your monthly trip to the hairdresser’s.

Here at Upside Flip, we are 24/7 armed with a pocket notebook, lest creative juices overflows at any time of the day. We also doodle random thoughts from idling minds which, more often than not, turn into great ideas.

Creative ideas are often like the dreams we have while we sleep. If we do not jot down what we dream of the second we wake up, we will instantaneously forget what it was about. Write, doodle, list and never forget the ideas you have.

5. Go with the Flow

Planning and staying organised does not equate to being inflexible to disruptions and changes in your plans. Don’t confuse ‘never planning anything’ with ‘being able to go with the flow’. In fact, planning may even prepare you for surprises or last minute changes to your schedule, empowering you to make a snap decision when the situation calls for it.

As you start your journey to plan and stay organised, remember not to be rigid in your plans and welcome changes that are bound to happen. Flexibility allows improvement, so that great plans can become superb.

To download our free 2017 printable planner to help you stay creative and effective, click here.