Whether you are a creative or you have creatives in your team or you just wish you could  be ‘creative’ (tip: you probably are, you don’t need to be able to sketch up a storm to be creative) taking the time to find inspiration is vital.

When we get in the zone of delivering outputs and outcomes and we are working with known quantities like an existing brand, style guide, audiences and frameworks the zone can become a habit, a groove keeping us to safe, not necessarily right.

No matter how busy you are, your brain and your solutions need you to find time for inspiration.

A mental reset, an alternative perspective, a clever approach you hadn’t considered are some of the benefits to flow from inspiration.

This time, and this inspiration, doesn’t happen accidentally though – most of the time it needs to be part of our plan.

• Look at images.
• Play some music.
• Read a magazine.
• Read a book.
• Chat to someone with a different point of view.
• Write stream of consciousness.
• Find a new and fascinating person to follow on social media.

You allow your problem solving brain to work away at the puzzle while you fill your creative well.

By taking time for inspiration, you allow yourself to recharge and cultivate a better solution.

Win/win.