Growing our creative capacity

Go with the flow

Creative flow is often called a ‘flow state’ where you’re fully immersed in what you’re doing, with deep focus, a sense of ease, and even a distorted perception of time. Psychologists describe it as a balance between challenge and skill: the task is demanding enough to engage you, but not so hard that it overwhelms you. In this state, distractions fade and ideas seem to connect naturally, creativity, productivity, and satisfaction flow. If you want a deeper explanation, this article from Psychology Today on achieving flow breaks down the science behind it in an accessible way.

Getting started of course requires inspiration, but also its about creating the right conditions. Begin by choosing a clear, specific goal and remove distractions, multitasking and interruptions can be barriers to flow. Work in focused time blocks, experiment with when your energy is highest, and allow yourself to create without over-judging your output. Sir Ken Robinson was one of the world’s leading thinkers on creativity and innovation his book The Element is an insightful book on how ‘finding your passion changes everything’. Follow this link to see him talk about and share his book, he was a brilliant speaker and was a great champion of supporting creativity in school. His work advocates creativity in life in general not just through the arts.