Why Think Creatively?

If you have a career you love, you don’t need to continue your education, right? Not necessarily! Besides keeping up to date with what’s happening in your industry, continually learning new things can keep your mind sharp and help you cross off a few items on your bucket list. Whether you’re spending your spare time learning because you love to, or you’re studying to master a hobby, you can learn valuable skills that can also help in your professional and personal life. Here are just a few of them.  

Creative thinking.

Being creative and thinking creatively is often thought to be solely the territory of artists and writers. If you work in a trade, like mechanics, or in the business world, in an office, you might think creativity isn’t necessary to get the job done. You would be wrong.

In fact, being creative is defined as using the imaginative or original ideas you come up with in real life. Being able to think outside the box, no matter the field you’re in, is what it truly means to think creatively.

Not everyone is born creative. Most of us learn it as we go, through our interests and hobbies. If you want to boost your creative thinking skills, learning to design and craft a project can help you practice.

Programs like Jewelry Design and Repair and Dressmaking and Design require you to learn how to form ideas, then apply your technical skills, such as sewing, to make that idea reality.

Besides boosting your creative thinking skills, creating art relieves stress, letting you relax after a long day at work so you can have a fresh mindset the next day

Persistence and dedication.

If you’re just starting out in your career, you may be worried that working on a creative side project can derail your concentration. Your focus is supposed to be on the work you’re paid for, not the work you do for fun, right?

Actually, over time, creative hobbies can strengthen your dedication, persistence, and patience in all aspects of your life. While you know that doing something well means taking your time, that idea can get lost in the day to day grind of work and life. Things that needed to happen yesterday get rushed today and you’re happy just to have it done.

Though artists and creatives are known for their passion rather than their calm moods, over time you learn to work through your problems patiently.

Confidence.

No matter who you are, it is difficult to always come across as confident. There’s always something that you think can do better or a skill that you aren’t completely sure you’ve  mastered. There are days when you just wake up not feeling one hundred percent. That’s life. But, if you’re constantly learning and absorbing new information, you have a built-in system for rebuilding confidence.  

Whether enrolling in a course to sharpen your skills in a particular hobby or art, or regularly reading articles that interest you, you’re learning something new every day and that can help you stand up taller. While creating art and continued education isn’t a cure-all for self-esteem issues, it can help you build up a sense of self to guide you through those times when you just aren’t sure you can do something.

Using that knowledge to work on creative hobbies and skills can also help you relax after a particularly long day. Taking time for a creative hobby can help you stay confident because creating something, whether it’s a painting, a necklace, a dress, or knitting a scarf, affects your brain in a good way. Making art can boost dopamine levels, making you more motivated and even happier.

You don’t have to be an amazingly talented artist, either, to benefit! Just the act of completing something can give you that “I did it” boost of energy.

You can do it.

There are so many benefits to getting creative. Whether you’re learning a new art for yourself or hope to make a side business out of your new skills, taking the time for yourself to pursue something that interests you is just as necessary to a healthy life as eating well. If you’re not sure what craft sparks your creativity, check out the online programs you can take advantage of with ICS Canada.