Firstly it’s Saturday, the day before the assignment is due and I am calmly writing the final post. It would seem my initial aim to question my habits, be aware of my creativity inhibitors and dive right in has seen me get the ideas flowing. It has been refreshing for me to work in a way that isn’t just spurred on by the deadline! (I usually take all the time allotted to do something and would fear I hadn’t found the right answer if I had left over time.) It had definitely produced a less stressful thinking experience. Maybe my allotted time to apply the relaxation technique could also have influenced this.
My use of the history proven, tried and tested notebook has been a great way to let ideas and thoughts bubble away. The format has allowed me to be freer in what I write about and to explore the concept of creative thinking in a less formal, more personal way. It is a great way to simultaneously refer and reflect on a topic.
I found using a mind map to plot the content of the course really effective in allowing me to see the ideas in a global, holistic way. Now I realise I have such a preference for visual learning I will certainly use this technique again. I can see why Tony Buzan’s books are bestsellers - the mind map idea is a sticky one. Referring to the “Six Principles of Sticky Ideas” I would say mind maps are sticky due to their simplicity. “To strip an idea down to its core, we must be masters of exclusion. We must relentlessly prioritize” (Made to Stick, 2009). Which is exactly the process of mind mapping.
The more formal approach to thinking such as the thinkx technique proved useful in finding a solution, but it’s not a technique that one can readily remember. If I want to use it in the future I guess I will need to refer to this blog (illustrating yet another reason why the notebook is so useful) or the Mycoted site.
Whilst De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats approach is also quite formal and complex to remember, I think the colour coding of the hats helps the information embed in the memory. I am actually going to purchase a green hat to wear on my daily walks to help keep up the creativity!
Being playful and using a metaphor walk to begin the process and elements such as bunches of bananas didn’t generate direct solutions but were useful in getting the right side of the brain activated. Who would have guessed that a bunch of bananas would lead me to get inspiration from a current creative thinker?
The two main outcomes of the creative thinking techniques also surprised me. The ideas that have been generated are solutions to -
- a) A problem I thought only had one solution – a solution that I was not prepared to implement. i.e. controlled crying to enable a restful sleep for all my family.
- b) An issue that wasn’t even an issue in my eyes. I had not previously seen any problem with taking my daughter for a walk, but now this ritual will be creatively enhanced. In retrospect I feel embarrassed that I didn’t think of it before! The idea is kind of obvious but as a first time parent it hadn’t occurred to me yet.
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