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How color-coded notes make you a more efficient thinker: Separating “branches” of your map by color stimulates the creative side of your brain, helps you visually separate and recall distinct themes of the stuff you’re working through, and encourages you to map through even boring topics that seem cut-and-dry. “Add a dash of color … and all of a sudden the notes come alive. They are unique, they are unusual, they are memorable and they are more interesting.” More…

How color-coded notes make you a more efficient thinker:

Separating “branches” of your map by color stimulates the creative side of your brain, helps you visually separate and recall distinct themes of the stuff you’re working through, and encourages you to map through even boring topics that seem cut-and-dry.

“Add a dash of color … and all of a sudden the notes come alive. They are unique, they are unusual, they are memorable and they are more interesting.”

More…

  • Charles Dickens was a proponent of strict routine—and walking. He worked from 9.a.m. to 2.p.m, without fail, and needed complete silence. At 2.p.m. he would go for a 3-hour walk and returned, the book notes, bursting with energy and ideas.
  • Maya Angelou likes writing in hotel rooms. She talks about checking into her sparse hotel room and working from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., accompanied by a dictionary, a Bible and a bottle of sherry.

The daily rituals of the world’s most creative people

How To Tell If You’re Creative A new personality test determines the markers of a creative mind. Forget Myers-Briggs. A study out of BI Norwegian Business School has determined the signposts of a “creative” personality. Conducted by Professor Øyvind L. Martinsen, the study posed 200 questions to 481 people. The subjects fell into three categories. One group of “baseline” subjects such as lecturers or managers, and two groups of people who are generally considered to be creative, such as students of advertising and performing artists. Martinsen says he found meaningful differences between the creative and noncreative groups. Read about the seven elements of a creative personality here.

How To Tell If You’re Creative

A new personality test determines the markers of a creative mind.

Forget Myers-Briggs. A study out of BI Norwegian Business School has determined the signposts of a “creative” personality. Conducted by Professor Øyvind L. Martinsen, the study posed 200 questions to 481 people. The subjects fell into three categories. One group of “baseline” subjects such as lecturers or managers, and two groups of people who are generally considered to be creative, such as students of advertising and performing artists. Martinsen says he found meaningful differences between the creative and noncreative groups.

Read about the seven elements of a creative personality here.

Creative New Ways To Land Your Dream Job

Job hunting isn’t all about savvy use of LinkedIn. As Dawn Siff’s 6-second Vine hustle recently proved, creativity wins in a crowded marketplace.

Here’s the story.

3 Paths Toward A More Creative Life In an era of volatility, uncertainty, chaos, and ambiguity, being creative is perhaps the best way to navigate your career and succeed.  Here are three specific ways that can help you lead a creative life from innovation and design expert Bruce Nussbaum. 1. BE MINDFUL—DISCONNECT We are all so connected these days and distracted by constant interactions. Our time is spent responding, reacting to others or absorbing, taking in new information. But we often lack the space, the time, the moment to integrate that knowledge, connect those dots, generate that creativity. Slowing down and disconnecting provides that space. You need to allow your creativity to flow without interruption and to let your mind to fill up. 2. TO CREATE MEANINGFUL THINGS, DELVE INTO THE PAST You need to allow your creativity to flow without interruption and to let your mind to fill up. 3. BE MASTERFUL To be very creative, however, requires a deep mastering of both knowledge and skills.  Read the full story here. [Images: Heads via Shutterstock]

3 Paths Toward A More Creative Life

In an era of volatility, uncertainty, chaos, and ambiguity, being creative is perhaps the best way to navigate your career and succeed. 

Here are three specific ways that can help you lead a creative life from innovation and design expert Bruce Nussbaum.

1. BE MINDFUL—DISCONNECT

We are all so connected these days and distracted by constant interactions. Our time is spent responding, reacting to others or absorbing, taking in new information. But we often lack the space, the time, the moment to integrate that knowledge, connect those dots, generate that creativity. Slowing down and disconnecting provides that space.

You need to allow your creativity to flow without interruption and to let your mind to fill up.

2. TO CREATE MEANINGFUL THINGS, DELVE INTO THE PAST

You need to allow your creativity to flow without interruption and to let your mind to fill up.

3. BE MASTERFUL

To be very creative, however, requires a deep mastering of both knowledge and skills. 

Read the full story here.

[Images: Heads via Shutterstock]

How To Know If You’re Working With Mammals Or Reptiles (And Why It Matters To Your Creativity) Can you pick out the reptiles in your workplace (And no, not the ones who do finger pistols and prey on interns)? According to neurophysiologist Stephen Porges, if you want to be creative, you want to be on the lookout for the scaly types, and seek out the mammals instead. Which is why if you’re doing creative work—the kind that thrives on connecting people and ideas—you should be working in a safe, “mammalian” office. As Porges says, “we really are not creative and integrative and social unless we feel safe.” Check out the full article here.

How To Know If You’re Working With Mammals Or Reptiles (And Why It Matters To Your Creativity)

Can you pick out the reptiles in your workplace (And no, not the ones who do finger pistols and prey on interns)? According to neurophysiologist Stephen Porges, if you want to be creative, you want to be on the lookout for the scaly types, and seek out the mammals instead.

Which is why if you’re doing creative work—the kind that thrives on connecting people and ideas—you should be working in a safe, “mammalian” office. As Porges says, “we really are not creative and integrative and social unless we feel safe.”

Check out the full article here.