How to be creative — the easy way

If you ever have to solve problems or do creative work of any kind, here’s some help from Roy Williams’ MondayMorningMemo: 5 Ways to Solve Problems Creatively.

Here’s what you do: First, fill your head with information about your project. Then stop analyzing. Stop thinking about the project. Do one of these things:

1. The Arts. (Listen to music, look at art, read poetry)
   
2. Humor. (Laughter helps you see better and think more clearly)
   
3. Time Pressure. (Give yourself not quite enough time)
   
4. Play!
   
5. Recovery. (Work after you’ve done something difficult or stressful)
   

Your unconscious mind is a lot smarter than your conscious mind. If you don’t allow it to tackle the problem, you’ll never move beyond what you know and think already.

These off-center ways of letting the unconscious mind roam are the way to do your best work.