What do you think of when you hear the word creativity?

Maybe it's a painting, a piece of writing, or a play.

We tend to think of creativity as something only artists can do, but in reality, humans are all naturally creative when we have the chance to be. Think about a time when you've experimented in the kitchen using new ingredients, or rearranged furniture in your living space to give it a different look. You're using your imagination and resources to find new ways to approach everyday tasks, problems, or challenges.

It's easy to confuse creative thinking with other types of thinking. For example, there's analytical thinking, which is about evaluating information to make an assessment.

Or there's critical thinking, which is about reflecting on a situation and questioning assumptions. These skills might help you as part of the creative thinking process, but they're not exactly the same.

Now, creative thinking is about looking at problems or situations from a fresh perspective, exploring new angles, and coming up with ideas and solutions. For example, at work you might use it to think of ideas for a new product, to find a different approach to a common challenge, to solve a problem, or to help your team work more efficiently.

The important thing is to treat creative thinking a bit like a muscle. You have to actually use it to get better, and once you start practicing and seeing the benefits it brings to your workplace, your confidence will grow.

Why is creative thinking important?

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