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The HARDEST Creativity-Boosting Exercise EVER!

Looking for a creativity exercise that doesn’t involve sticky notes, group brainstorming, or yet another “innovation framework”? I’ve got one for you!

It requires zero equipment, zero skill, and zero movement. But here’s the twist: it might be the most challenging ten minutes of your day.

Ready? Here’s your creativity exercise:

  1. Set your phone timer for 10 minutes
  2. Just sit there

Why is This Simple Creativity Exercise So Hard?

Ask yourself this question:

When was the last time you were truly, completely, mind-wandering-to-weird-places bored?

Not the “scrolling Instagram while waiting for coffee” kind of bored. I mean the staring-out-the-window, daydreaming kind that used to fill our childhood summers.

I bet you’re struggling to think of a single moment!

We’re living in an era where being constantly “tuned in” isn’t just possible, it’s practically mandatory. From the moment we wake up until we reluctantly set down our phones at bedtime, we’re swimming in a sea of mental stimulation.

Our 21st-century mindset has convinced us that productivity is king and busy-ness is queen.

So when you try to STOP for 10 minutes, your brain will revolt. If you’re like me, your thoughts will go into overdrive, ping-ponging between that presentation due next week, the weird noise your car is making, and whether you remembered to buy dog food. And honestly? That’s completely normal!

How to Level Up Your Mental Space

Think of this creativity exercise as creating a cozy space for your frantically busy brain. At first, it might feel like trying to wrangle a room full of sugar-charged toddlers. That’s okay. Your mind isn’t used to this kind of freedom.

If you’re finding it hard to slow down your thoughts, you might want to try these 3 breathing exercises first.

Once you can manage 10 minutes of whatever-pops-into-your-head time, try graduating to two 15-minute sessions. The gold star level would be a full 30 minutes of mental free-range time. Full disclosure: most people never reach this daydream master status, and that’s perfectly okay!

The Real Magic Behind This Creativity Exercise

Remember: the goal isn’t to have peaceful, profound thoughts; it’s to give your busy brain permission to be busy in its own way. Step one is simply getting comfortable with hitting pause on your day.

In the words of brilliant writer and artist Austin Kleon,

You’re often most creative when you’re least productive.

All the truly marvellous inventions and creations happen in the space beyond to-do lists.

Creativity needs breathing room! So here’s your permission slip: Take that mental pause. Tune out. Daydream. Make a strategic commitment to deeper thinking.

Trust me, it will pay off for your creativity and professional growth. And your mental health will thank you for it.

Kim Scaravelli

Kim Scaravelli

Kim Scaravelli is a brand voice coach, writer, and author Making Words Work. She lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with her unruly family, a sweet dog named Stevie, and a sarcastic cat named Winnie.