I’m very fortunate that my job is to be creative – pretty much every day. However, there are times when thinking of a new/fresh design is very challenging. The hectic pace of owning your own business, or life in general, can make an otherwise active mind lazy. So what do you do when you need a burst of creative inspiration? Here are a few suggestions:

1)   Step away from the computer: The internet is an awesome place to find numerous websites, blogs, online magazines, etc. to use as a source of inspiration. However, if you’re someone who works on the computer 8 hours a day/5 days a week – it might be beneficial to step away from the computer to refresh your thinking.

How Magazine published a great article about “Create While You Wait.” In a nutshell, they suggest using our dead time (waiting in traffic, restaurants, airports, checkout lines, etc.) to collect ideas for your next project. I know I’m guilty of immediately pulling out my iPhone to pass time when I’m waiting in line, however, How Magazine suggests using the time in other ways. Notice impulse purchases customers make, examine menus and the overall atmosphere in restaurants, pay attention to billboards, or watch how people eat and drink – making casual observations can help you gain insight about your customers or help you make better design decisions concerning your product or service.

2)   Look at things differently: I went on Facebook the other day and a friend of mine that is a photographer posted a photo that he took of leftover apple pieces. He said he “threw it into the mouth of the garbage disposal before realizing it was a piece of art.” That leftover piece of apple turned out to be an amazing photograph. What this teaches us is to find beauty and inspiration in items we encounter everyday. Train the eye to think differently and discover new shapes, textures, colors or composition of items you would normally not think twice about.

3)   Take in the local art scene: Sometimes we forget to visit places in the community that are perfect to get the creative juices flowing. In Tampa, the Tampa Museum of Art just opened featuring exhibits from Henri Matisse; MOSI (Museum of Science and Industry)  is showcasing the work of Leonardo DiVinci through May 31^st, and don’t forget about unexpected places to find stimulating design such as at the Tampa Bay History Center, the Dali Museum, and the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts.

Deep down whether we’re left brain or right brain, we’re all creative. Take the time to explore your creativity using the resources around you. Dan Goodwin from HowtoDoThings.com states it best when he says, “Creativity is a way of being, seeing, acting and doing, not just making art. Think of the many ways you’re creative in every moment of your life, and accept that your creativity is far greater and more diverse than you’ve been giving yourself credit for.”

Tags: Adam Daniels photography, creative, creativity, Dali Museum, Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, GDBD Creative Design, GDBD Design, Good Dog/Bad Dog Creative Design, graphic design tips, How Magazine, how to be creative, howtodothings.com, MOSI Tampa, Tampa Bay History Center, tampa graphic design, Tampa Museum of Art, tampa website design