Take a Walk and Gain Inspiration

Do you ever feel like you have absolutely no creative juices left in your brain in order to complete any sort of business-related project? Do you sit in your office, look around at the four walls, and think to yourself, “Is this really where I have to do my creative thinking?”

You don’t have to! That’s the beauty of it all. What I love to do when I am in need of some creative inspiration is simply go for a walk. This is something that anyone can do: the accountant, the IT consultant, the school teacher, even the store owner. Everyone needs to think creatively at some point during their busy day, but for some, doing anything creative at their desk or in their workplace can be difficult.

Break out of the four walls and get walking. Taking a walk, either alone or with someone else, allows you to gain new insight on what’s going on in your world outside of your office. When you walk, take in the landscape around you. Regardless of where you walk, there is always something to see, something that can inspire you to think outside the box.

Whether you walk in an area where there are lots of cars, noise, and people rushing past you, or down a country road with empty sidewalks and trees rustling in the breeze, there is an opportunity for you to stop thinking about your work and start thinking of something else. Don’t go out with the purpose of solving your creative woes; actually, don’t think of anything at all. Just let your eyes and your mind wander. You will be so surprised at what ends up coming to your mind.

I do this quite frequently, especially when I am mentally drained with a project that I am trying so hard to be creative on. I start by taking in several deep breathes and letting myself adjust to the sunlight or the brightness of the day. Then, I just start looking. I may see a new flower starting to grow and that might make me think of planting some flowers in my yard. Then, I start to think of what types of flowers and where to plant them. Do I want to plant the same flowers as I did last year? Or try something new? Do I want to go with a new color theme for my flowers, or stick with the same color combinations I’ve been planting? Then, I continue to look around at the trees, grass, houses, fences, and just about anything that I walk past. I do not look down at the road when I walk, unless I fear I may trip over something. I want to take it all in and see where my mind allows me to go. I like to fantasize and imagine things that make me feel happy.

This sort of mind wandering can spark the creative energy you need to tackle your difficult tasks. It’s an invigorating way to spend a half hour, or longer. In the end, you are able to gain inspiration to go back and solve your creative problems. Your inefficient day can be transformed into a miraculous outcome.

I am always able to come with new design ideas and solutions after taking a walk. Even if you are not in a creative field, there are always challenging tasks you are faced with each day. You may need to develop new systems for tracking sales, or gaining leads, or managing your budget, or managing your staff, or gaining new customers. It does not matter what you need to tackle; if it’s a challenge for you, then you deserve, and need, to have the ability to think outside the box for new and creative solutions.

Remember also that it does not matter what the weather is outside. Living here in Connecticut, where there are four very different seasons with unpredictable weather during each one of them, you never know what each day will bring. But, whether it’s a brisk winter day, or an early summer morning, your mind and your body will be invigorated!

I would like to challenge everyone in the coming weeks to try this for themselves. If nothing else, you will be doing your body some good!

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