8 ways to boost your mental health with creativity.

A lot of research has suggested that creative endeavours – from drawing to dancing – have an array of benefits on our well-being. Creativity can reduce feelings of depression, anxiety and stress. It’s also great if you’re looking to improve your self-esteem and find a sense of achievement and control in life. OnBundock invites you to have a look at the following benefits and tips to boost your creativity.

Find the right outlet for you.
Painting, drawing, writing or sculpting are scientifically proven to help people process traumatic events. These activities help us to translate these difficult experiences in different ways. Try incorporating a creative activity into your daily life. Creative outlets have also been proven to boost your immune system.
 
Creativity is a learned skill.
Like a muscle, it takes practice! Sometimes it takes effort and active engagement to be creative. So if you’re stuck in the same old situation, try going for a 10-minute walk. Endorphins (feel-good chemicals) released into the brain from light exercise can put you in a positive mood and spark an idea.
 
Find other solutions by gathering information.
When you feel stuck for ideas, talk to friends and experts, do some research and you might find that new ideas will begin to emerge. The more you know, the more ideas you’re likely to have.
 
Jazz up the office space.
Your surroundings play a big part in what you think about. If it’s full of things that inspire and motivate you, you’ll be more able to think of energised and new ideas. Try placing fun photos and decorations in the area. Use stickers, coloured paper and fun pens.
 
Lose the expectations.
Try not to put high expectations on creating something amazing the first time. Don’t be harsh on yourself and remind yourself that it’s okay to make mistakes. Everyone is capable of being creative. What’s important is the process rather than the outcome. Reminding yourself this can take away the pressures and barriers.
 
Use your positive and negative emotions to create.
When you find yourself feeling down, try using the negative emotion in a healthy creative outlet. Using energy from negative emotions can help validate and process them. This is not to say to purposefully make yourself sad though, because positive emotions are known to make people even more creative.
 
Use Blue.
Surrounding yourself with the colour blue can help us feel safe to explore new ideas. Blue is known as a safe colour as it’s heavily linked to natural scenes like the sky and ocean.
 
Don’t be afraid to be bored.
Our brains tend to crave constant stimulation. Forcing ourselves to do nothing and getting rid of common stimulators such as phones, computers and TV can encourage our brain to think outside of its usual comfort zone. This can give us the time of day to daydream in an otherwise busy schedule.