Why Creative Habits Matter
Creativity isn’t just for artists—it’s a critical skill for anyone who wants to thrive in an ever-changing world. For creative professionals and knowledge workers alike, creativity fuels innovation, problem-solving, and personal growth.
Yet, many rarely work intentionally on cultivating the creative habits that research shows can lead to increased well-being and flourishing. 1
These habits don’t require a lot of time or special skills.
By integrating small, consistent actions into your routine, you can train your brain to think more creatively, reduce the friction of starting new projects, and break through creative blocks more easily.
The beauty of developing these habits is that you can personalize your approach by exploring a variety of methods to find those that resonate with you and align with your specific intentions and constraints.
Which Creative Habits Are Right for You?
Before diving into these creative habits, take a moment to reflect on your current creative practice and intentions. Answer these questions to help identify which habits might be most beneficial for you:
- Are you more comfortable with words or visuals?
- Do you prefer structured or free-form activities?
- How much time can you realistically dedicate to a daily creative habit?
- What’s your primary intention: generating ideas, problem-solving, or self-expression?
- Do you work better in short bursts or longer, focused sessions?
Keep your answers in mind as you explore the following activities.
Writing-Based Habits
1. Morning Pages
What it is: Popularized by Julia Cameron in “The Artist’s Way,”2 Morning Pages involve spending 15-20 minutes each morning writing in a stream-of-consciousness style.
Benefits: Clears mental clutter, reduces anxiety, and sets the stage for a more focused and creative day.
How to start:
- Set aside 15-20 minutes each morning.
- Write down whatever comes to mind, without editing or censoring yourself.
- Keep the pen moving, even if you start with “I don’t know what to write.”
Struggling to start? Begin each entry with, “Here I am showing up to write.” This simple phrase can help break the initial resistance.
2. Freewriting Ideation
What it is: A timed writing exercise where you write continuously without stopping to edit or judge your work.
Benefits: Unlocks ideas buried in your subconscious, helps with brainstorming, overcomes perfectionism, and improves writing fluency.
How to start:
- Choose a prompt or topic.
- Set a timer for 5-10 minutes.
- Write continuously without stopping, editing, or censoring.
Prompt ideas: “What if…?”, “I remember…”, “The best idea I’ve ever had…”, “The funniest thing I ever saw…”
3. The Six-Word Story Challenge
What it is: Craft a complete story in just six words.
Benefits: Improves concise communication, boosts creativity within constraints, and sharpens storytelling skills.
How to start:
- Choose a theme or use a random word generator.
- Set a timer for 1-5 minutes.
- Write as many six-word stories as you can.
Example themes: Love, loss, triumph, mystery, everyday moments, what’s outside your window.
Visual Habits
4. Mind Mapping
What it is: A visual thinking tool that helps you organize thoughts and see connections between ideas.
Benefits: Enhances problem-solving abilities, clarifies complex information, and sparks new ideas.
How to start:
- Grab a piece of paper and something to write with.
- Draw a circle with a central concept in the middle of the page.
- Branch out from the central concept by creating nodes with related ideas.
Different Approaches: Set a timer for a new daily map, or keep your map as a constant presence on the wall to add to each day.
5. Daily Drawings
What it is: Spend 5-10 minutes each day sketching or drawing, regardless of artistic skill.
Benefits: Stimulates visual creativity, reduces stress, and can lead to unexpected ideas.
How to start:
- Set aside 5-10 minutes daily for doodling.
- Use any materials you have on hand (pen and paper work fine).
- Draw whatever comes to mind, without judgment.
Theme or No Theme: You can start with a concept in mind or just draw random abstractions. The focus is on the process, not the results.
6. Easy Collage
What it is: Spend 5-10 minutes each day creating collages from found materials.
Benefits: Stimulates visual creativity, reduces stress, and organizes complex visual information.
How to start:
- Grab 1-2 pages from a magazine, newspaper, or junk mail.
- Rip or cut up the pages into as many pieces as you want.
- On a flat surface, arrange the pieces into new compositions and shapes.
Bonus Tip: Take a quick picture with your phone when you finish, and save the pieces for future collages, adding more material over time.
7. Combine Any or All of the Above
What it is: Experiment with combining any of the above exercises.
- Do a collage from habit 6, then write a six-word story about what you see.
- Take your drawings from habit 5 and repurpose them to create a collage.
- Start with Morning Pages, then create a drawing based on what you wrote.
Bonus Tip: Keep a list of creative exercises you come across and integrate them into your practice.
Focus on the Process and Have Fun
Creativity thrives on consistency.
By adopting even one of these daily habits, you can significantly impact your creative output and overall well-being. The key is to start small and build momentum—over time, these habits will become second nature, and your creativity will flourish.
Remember, the goal isn’t to do all of these habits every day, but to find the ones that resonate with you and integrate them into your routine.
As you practice, you’ll likely find that your creative abilities grow, your problem-solving skills sharpen, and you enjoy the creative process more fully.
- Conner, T. S., DeYoung, C. G., & Silvia, P. J. (2018). Everyday creative activity as a path to flourishing. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 13(2), 181-189. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2016.1257049 ↩︎
- Cameron, J. (1992). The artist’s way: A spiritual path to higher creativity. G.P. Putnam’s Sons. ↩︎