How Can I Boost My Creativity Without Forcing It?

It’s one of those things that feels magical when it’s flowing and maddeningly elusive when it’s not. Sometimes, I sit down thinking, “Alright, let’s make something brilliant,” and… nothing. Just blank. A quiet brain. Which, by the way, is not helpful.

But I’ve been trying a few things lately that seem to nudge the creative side of my brain awake—nothing revolutionary, honestly. But somehow, they’re working.

First, I started allowing boredom. Like, actual doing-nothing boredom. I used to fill every moment with a podcast or scrolling or replying to WhatsApp messages. But creativity doesn’t really show up when you’re constantly reacting to stuff. I noticed that ideas start popping up—random ones, sometimes weird—when I’m just taking a slow walk or washing dishes with nothing playing in the background. There’s something about letting the brain be quiet that invites imagination in. Or maybe it just gets bored and makes stuff up. Either way, it works.

Another one: I started consuming things outside my usual bubble. If I always look at design blogs for inspiration (which I do, a lot), I end up recreating the same vibe. But when I read something unexpected—say, a short story from an author I’ve never heard of, or even scrolling through old movie posters—I start seeing things differently. The dots start connecting in new ways. That’s creativity, I guess: remixing ideas in your own flavor.

I also try making bad stuff on purpose. That sounds counterproductive, right? But honestly, perfection kills creativity faster than anything. When I give myself permission to write badly, draw badly, or come up with dumb ideas… eventually, something surprisingly good sneaks in. And sometimes, that’s the one I end up keeping.

Oh, and rest. Yeah, I hate admitting this, but good sleep makes a difference. There’s no sexy hack here. Just go to bed. A tired brain isn’t very inventive. It’s just trying to survive the day.

One last thing—and this might sound silly—but I talk to myself. Out loud. Not always (I don’t want to freak out the neighbors), but if I’m stuck, I’ll just start rambling about the idea like I’m explaining it to a friend. It helps me hear what parts I care about and what bits are just fluff.

So, what can you do to boost creativity? Try stuff. Then try weirder stuff. Let yourself be bored, be bad, be curious. Creativity isn’t some perfect lightning strike. It’s more like a slightly shy cat—it shows up when you’re not staring too hard.

And honestly? Some days, it doesn’t show up at all. That’s okay too.