Channeling Critical Thinking for Creative and Innovative Outputs

Critical thinking is a skill that allows you to make logical and informed decisions to the best of your ability. 

“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”

Christopher Hitchens

The quote from Christopher Hitchens clearly explained it. It shows that two people can have the same thought but how you understand it depends on your critical thinking skill.

Creative and Innovative Output in the Workplace

What is Creativity?

Creativity is a learning habit that requires skills and understanding. It is an active process necessarily involved in innovation. Being creative requires reflection, encourages engagement, and develops confidence and responsibility. Your ability to be creative is essential to living a fulfilled and successful life.

What is Innovation?

Innovation is having thought of new ideas, new ways of looking at things, new methods, or products that have value. The creative process is at the heart of innovation and often the words are used interchangeably. 

How Critical Thinking Can Increase Creative and Innovative Output

As old ideas are cast aside to make way for new, more refreshing approaches to the way we work, a sense of innovation and creativity becomes the norm. When we are so set in our ways, it can be difficult to break free of previous habits and not allow creativity to flourish.

Here is a selection of things you can do at work to boost your innovation levels and foster creativity.

Optimize the Atmosphere

Feel inspired by your surroundings. Whether you fine-tune what is already there or rebuild the feel of the office from the ground up, the layout of the office can go a long way to let creativity flourish. Temperature is also crucial, anything too cold or too hot is going to be stifling, but the right temperature can provide a cozy place where ideas are sparked.

Create a brainstorming wall

Set up a whiteboard in a prime spot in the office, so employees can make suggestions, ask questions, write down ideas; anything that helps to stimulate the brain.

Encourage individuality

When employees feel valued, the encouragement they receive compels them to stand out. Let employees know that their individuality is valued. They are unique people with their qualities and attributes and should be treated as such.

Allow for suggestions

Part of this individuality is allowing people to make their suggestions. People like me that shy away from the public approach, place a suggestion box, it will encourage employees to air their opinion without fear of confidentiality. Not every suggestion is going to be a game-changer, but allowing for suggestions, will help to show employees that you are open to feedback.

Put suggestions into action 

It is well and good accepting suggestions, but employees are more likely to suggest ideas and think creatively if they see their ideas come to fruition. 

Create a space for self-reflection and meditation 

Mediation has a powerful effect on creativity, reduces fruitless brainstorming, and helps to foster some ideas. It serves to stimulate parts of the brain involved with problem-solving, creative thinking, and emotional processing, while also reducing the activity of the part of the brain that makes one anxious.

Take a break

Be sure to take a break from the office and get outside, take a walk around the office premises. It will help to break up the day, but it may also foster a fresh perspective on how you tackle problems. When you return to your desk, you will be able to approach things from a different angle.

Reward out-of-the-box thinking

Creative ideas are a good thing, positive reinforcement is a good thing. So, if you are looking for a more creative culture in the workplace, then combine the two. Rewards that are worth working towards will help to encourage innovation across the board; show employees that their hard work will be compensated in kind.

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