Sometimes you can start to feel stuck or constrained when it comes to your creativity.

It’s difficult to break out of the mindset that prioritises belonging, so you have to remember that blending in with the crowd and doing what’s seen as ‘right’ can be detrimental and lose you a lot of opportunities.

Consistency is a good thing, but it fails to breed innovation if there is no development.

So how do you start to think outside the box?

Don’t fall into habits

If you are faced with something that you’ve dealt with before, your brain’s first response is to use the same solution as before, it worked last time, right?

This may work for some situations, but falling into habits like this can stop you from finding even better methods.

Adapt yourself to the specifics of the situation you’re dealing with.

Strive to do better than before, every time you do anything.

Not just the bare minimum.

Risk can bring incredible results and is often worth it, as long as there’s thought behind it.

Simplify the problem

Rather than overthinking the bigger picture, think of the specific issue you are facing and come up with a solution.

It may feel silly but think about it from a child’s perspective.

If you explained it to a child, what would they say?

Kids are creative and naturally innovative as they haven’t had the life experience that we have.

Ignore the fear of failure

It's natural to be scared of failing.

Without failure, how do you learn and develop?

Rather than focusing on what could go wrong with an original solution, think about what good it could bring.

Fear of failure and disappointment builds subconscious walls when it comes to innovation, so you must break down those walls and work to your full potential.

Mistakes are a natural part of life; the only true failure is if you learn nothing from them.

Put it on paper

Simply thinking of a solution limits the results your brain comes up with.

There are many ways you can overcome this.

For some, simply writing it down can show a new perspective or solution.

Create a mind map, use a starting word or phrase and build ideas from that.

If you’re creative, draw a picture of what you need to visualise or any ideas.

Putting the issue down on paper will encourage you to see it in a new way, meaning you can think differently and come up with a new solution.

Get a new perspective

Don’t hesitate to talk to your co-workers, family, or friends.

Often, we keep issues to ourselves when they are work related, since you know the most about your job, you can think that nobody else will get it or be able to offer any meaningful advice.

This isn’t always the case, as these people won’t have the same understanding as you, it means that their input may differ from yours greatly.

This is a good thing!

Even if you don’t use their advice, you now know what an outsider thinks, and it allows you to take a step back and put yourself in their shoes.

The deeper the understanding of the situation you have, the more ability you have to come at it from multiple angles.

In this digital age, adaptation and innovation is key to making your business stand out.

So don’t be scared to do things a little differently, be unique and create something truly bespoke.

If you need help with creative ideas and development within your business, contact our chimps and see how we can help you.