Deep Breathing
Creative ideas come when the mind is still. As there is a deep connection between our state of mind (brain activities or mood) and our breathing pattern, we should aim to set aside time to quieten the mind and practice deep breathing. Deep breathing cleanses the mind, body and spirit and can bring many benefits; increased clarity, energy, relaxation and focus.  The session, which is 45 minutes, can help reduce stress, increase productivity and boost creativity.

Reward your employees
If you’re a manger and you need more results what can you do to jump start your employees and churn out creative ideas. Should you use the promise of rewards or fear (The carrot or the stick) to induce certain behaviour? Whilst it used to be said that fear and sadness spur creativity and results, recent research, according to a researched at Harvard, suggests that people are more likely to have creative ideas and thus produce more if they were happy the day before. Why? Because creativity is positively associated with joy and love. So, to generate creative ideas, love your employees, reward them and do what you can to make sure they are happy. It needn’t cost you extra – it is the small things that count.

*The carrot and the stick, an idiom that refers to a policy of offering either reward or punishment to, states that people will be motivated either by fear or hope for reward.

Appreciate your employees and they will work better, they will be more responsive and more productive. Giving appreciation certificates to employees who have done exceptionally well or even taking the office staff out for lunch can boost morale and thus creativity. If you can’t afford bonuses this year give away vouchers or take the office out for lunch or for an evening out after work. Otherwise a simple thank-you will often do the trick.

Think BIG – think outside of the box
If you think big you will be creative. By thinking big your mind will simply adapt to find a way of doing things. Thinking big opens the mind to new possibilities.

Remain Flexible
Write your goals in concrete and your plans in sand is an anonymous quote but one that bears a lot of truth. Basically, keep your eye on the goal but don’t worry about how you will get there. By remaining flexible the mind will create possibilities and new creative ideas will flow. This is also important internally with employees allowing them to move into departments and positions where they will naturally flourish and bring additional benefits to the company.

Hire creative talent
It’s not what you’ve done in the past it’s what you can do now and what you will do in the future.  Hiring the right people for the right job can be time consuming but in the long run it will pay off. When interviewing for jobs too often people focus on what they’ve done in the past, whilst this is relevant it is more important to emphasis what you can offer, what you can create and what creative ideas you can bring to the team.