In challenging times, creativity often feels like it takes a backseat. With budgets tightening and expectations remaining high, the pressure can stifle innovative thinking. However, unlocking our creative potential is fundamentally about energy both our own and the energy we draw from others. By learning to shift our energy when it feels stuck, we can reignite our creative thinking and approach marketing challenges with a fresh perspective.
The Crucial Link Between Energy and Creativity
Energy is the lifeblood of creativity. It fuels our ideas and drives our campaigns. Energy is everything. To borrow a gold-dust quote from TayIor Swift (see the post from Sophie Devonshire):
Treat your energy like a luxury item, not everyone can afford it.
Taylor Swift
Protecting and nurturing our energy gives us the best chance of tapping into inspiration ideas. When our energy wanes, our creativity and ultimately our marketing effectiveness suffers.
Harnessing Your Own Energy: Quick Wins for Marketers
Identify small, frequent, and often free ways to give yourself a mini-energy boost. When the pressure mounts, consider these strategies:
- Get Outside: A brisk walk in a green space can refresh your mind and spark new ideas. I often get my best ideas when wandering in the woods near home. Something about seeing greenery helps my neurons make new connections.
- No Desk Lunch: Eating away from your desk is a game-changer for your energy levels. Trust me on this, I’m a nutritionist (my side-hustle, but that’s another story).
- Listen to Music: A quick burst of upbeat music can elevate your mood and stimulate creativity. Have an energy-boosting playlist ready to go.
Incorporate these practices into your daily routine; your energy and your marketing results depend on it.
Drawing Energy from Others: Building a Supportive Network
Identify the `radiators' and the `drains'. Who lifts you up, radiates good energy and puts pep back in your step? And who does the exact opposite. Ok, good, that’s part one done.
The real-world challenge is that not everyone we work with on day-to-day basis is a radiator (or if they are, consider yourself very lucky indeed) so when wanting to nurture our energy, we need to spend time in the company of those who lift us up. Could be a quick coffee, a corridor chat, a voice-note exchange. Again, little and often can work wonders.
Shifting Stuck Energy: Embrace Change for Creative Breakthroughs
If you find yourself in a creative slump, it’s time to shake things up. A literal change of perspective can help break the inertia:
- Work from a Different Spot: A new environment can inspire fresh ideas. Even opting for a different hot desk than the one you usually pick helps.
- Take a New Route: Changing your daily commute can stimulate your mind.
- Attend Industry Events: Engaging with new people can unlock new ideas.
By altering your physical surroundings, you can often shift your mindset and see challenges in a new light.
Creativity isn’t just about generating new ideas, it’s about understanding the energy that fuels that creativity. By focusing on your own energy, tapping into the energy of those around you, and actively shifting stuck energy, you can unlock a fresh outlook and unleash your creative potential. In our fast-paced world of marketing, this renewed creativity can be the key to driving success.
Authored by Rebecca Hirst, Global Consulting Brand, Marketing & Communications Leader, EY
