5 simple ways to think differently at work
Creativity at work can feel like a big ask when you’re busy. But it doesn’t have to take a lot of time and energy. It can be as simple as noticing the weird ideas that make you smile… and not immediately squashing them.
Here are five delightfully doable ways to shake up your thinking and spark new ideas at work — even on a Monday.
Challenge yourself, or your team, to come up with the worst possible ideas for a problem. You’ll be surprised how often it leads to something weirdly brilliant.
Explain a problem like you’re speaking to a six-year-old. It cuts the fluff and often reveals a more human, creative approach.
Literally or mentally — go a different way to the lunch room, use a different font, shake up your routine. New paths wake up new thoughts.
Think of someone totally outside your world — Oprah, a friend of a friend, a famous person from history — and ask how they would approach your problem. This might sound ridiculous, but it’s a great way to ease into serious planning as it breaks tension and invites bold thinking.
Original thinkers aren’t always the loudest voices in the room. In fact, they’re often the ones quietly observing and questioning how things could be done better. Instead of accepting things as they are, try asking “why” or “what else could work here?”.
You don’t need a big stage or a genius idea to think creatively. All it takes is one small shift — a fresh question, a new angle, a moment of curiosity. Try one or two of these tips this week and see what surprises you.