Why Your "To-Do" List is Killing Your Creativity

In my psychotherapy practice, I often see clients who feel "stuck." They are hyper productive, scheduling every waking moment with work and sporting and social activities, and yet they know that something is wrong. The trouble is, they are stuck in the “doing” mode without giving themselves a chance to “be.”

No matter your profession, creativity is an essential ingredient. Life has a habit of throwing the most unpredictable stuff at us, so we need our creative skills. Rememebr the phrase “think outside the box”? Well, it isn’t just useful for planning a new business venture. We constantly need to shift our focus and our priorities every time we get news that the markets have shifted or our loved one has fallen ill.
 
The trouble is, creativity requires cognitive "slack." If every minute of your day is optimized for efficiency, there is no room for the unexpected associations that lead to innovation.
 
Constant productivity creates high levels of cortisol. High cortisol narrows your focus, making you great at following instructions but terrible at thinking outside the box.
 
Boredom is the precursor to wonder. When we remove the phone and the laptop, we allow our minds to wander into new, creative territories.
 
If you want to be more creative, you have to be willing to be "useless" for at least thirty minutes a day.
 
Reading stuff online is a great first step. If you would like to explore this more, please get in contact.

I look forward to hearing from you.
 
Chris Warren-Dickins
Psychotherapist in New Jersey and the United Kingdom
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