Removing Barriers to Creativity (Pt 2)

 11/26/21, 3:11-5:04, 1.88 hours

In my CPS activity for this class, I identified that I wanted to enjoy this 12-hour creative process. For me, this means letting go of the need to have perfection / to see a finished project within the confines of a twelve-hour window. In my life I am constantly time bound and hurried, and I recognized this as one of my barriers to creativity in my creative barriers assignment a few weeks ago. Today, I finished emptying out my office space save for the desk, a small filing cabinet, and an empty shelving unit. As I emptied out my office, I further reflected on how I can enjoy this process of creativity. I found this mindset led to truly finding a creative flow - fully engaged in what I am doing with the passing of time going unnoticed. 

As I cleared out my office, I realized that I had a new problem to solve in this process - where does all of this stuff go? I thought for a bit as I organized and considered where different things can go - office stuff, personal property, and knick knacks  that haven’t found their home in this house yet. Slowly, I began to realize that there was space in this house that was under utilized (quickly thrown together closests, a storage room in the basement with boxes slowly growing into mountains, a small storage room under the stairs…). Because I tackled today with the intention to go with the flow and I allowed myself to be completely free of time constraints, this allowed me to enjoy a creative re-organizing process. Small things I did not realize were bothering me were accomplished at the same time I solved a problem! My office is now emptied, the two closets are reorganized with space to spare with an open appealing appearance (instead of the previous pit of darkness that very-well might have hidden the monster of a child’s dreams), the boxes in my basement are condensed, shelved, and their is new openness. What’s more amazing is that each of these places are now better than they were before, with structure and maximized potential and all the things from my office are now gone. How is this possible? Creative problem solving! Redistribution and thinking outside the box. It was a fantastic creative experience - and the outcome of today is incredible. 

My creative flow did not stop with solving the problem Where does it all go?, however! I wanted to keep my eye and mind on the ultimate big picture - making my office space mine by attempting to open all my creative avenues and not withhold ideas due to doubt, time, or stress. All throughout the reorganization process, I took “stream of consciousness” notes as ideas came to me for my room. I did not allow myself to second guess or alter these ideas, but let them just flow. Sometimes it was just one idea  - “Vines around the window” and sometimes it was a quick brainstorm session where I wrote down several ideas as they came (inspired by the original thought). 

I also thought about this project. I am considering creating a blog and putting all of these reflections in them as a creative way to present my creative journey. We shall see.

FInal reflections: today was an inspiring day of creative productivity like I haven’t had since starting grade school. I can honestly say there is something to planned creativity and the concept that we can learn strategies to maximize them. In particular, recognizing my barriers has been instrumental!

<Insert walk-through of the new organization system & hand-written notes)

Removing Barriers to Creativity (Clutter)

11/24/21, 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm, 1.5 hours

After doing the “creative process” activity last week, I determined that one of the blocks to my creativity specific to making my office a place that is calming and inspirational was just all the “stuff”. When we moved into this home, the office had a desk in it which I just left there. I moved my boxes of work stuff in and even a few boxes of stuff I just didn’t have the mental space to go through and organize. The rest of the house was a priority! So, in looking at all the physical and emotional blocks the STUFF in this room was the first thing that needed to go. Today, I spent time moving things into boxes to pack up and move to a storage closet so that I can start my room with a clean slate. While I packed up, I set aside a few items (three to be exact) that will be used to count as “inspiration” or “materials available” - a decorative white board, picture frame, and an envelope of prints I hoped to one day put up. The room is half emptied now, and I can already feel the ideas coming to mind. 

Some ideas I had today while emptying the room: 

→ one of the issues I have is the discrepancy between my desire for open/minimalism and the stuff I have to store for work/life.

→ I have a space that could be totally redone to serve as a unique storage space allowing me to have both my minimalist room and also the pertinent work items available at hand. 

→ I feel a sense of excitement at the possibilities!

I didn’t get a before picture, but I did get a “where I’m at now” video! (click here)

Stages of CPS

11/18/21, 0.5 hours

Creative Problem Solving stages

Mess Finding:  Think of a real problem or challenge you have (not enough time, raising money for a vacation, raising GPA, etc.)

General Problem: I need to do my 12-hour creative practice project.

Data Finding:  What do you know about the problem?  List all the relevant information you need to consider about this problem.  

• What is my project? Finally making my office MY office, and creating a place for myself.

• How will I do it? I will brainstorm ideas, allow myself to try out colors or ideas without “knowing” it will work, and I will give myself freedom to do and redo things as ideas come to me.

• Why is it important? It’s symbolic of how much I put into the world around me and others and yet leave myself for last

• What materials/technology do I have available? I have the internet and there are websites where you can try out different colors on a picture of your room. I think I may be able to find other creative avenues for trying out different ideas in a virtual setting first. This would save money! Also, I have money to purchase materials, I have some furniture already, I have pictures I can print, and art I can put up. I have paint brushes. I am working with a door, a closet, and two windows.

• What is the cost? I am going try to do this as cheaply as possible, which includes going to thrift stores and local antique shops before shopping for any expensive furniture or art.

• What will others think of it? It doesn’t matter! This is totally for ME and my own benefit and acceptance.

• It will be therapeutic not only for my creative mind, but also for my working/professional life and mindset.

• Available time (This Sunday, Wednesday before/ Friday & Sunday after Thanksgiving, the 4th, 5th, and the 11th) 

• It needs to be a project that is meaningful to me

• requires me to stretch my creative thinking

• Once completed, I must be able to provide: 

• A description of the creative practicing project I selected and a rationale for why I selected it 

• Examples of the practicing at various stages/evidence

• Descriptions and reflections of blocks to my creativity that occurred and what techniques I used  to overcome those blocks

• A summary assessment of what I think was accomplished, how I feel about the experience, how I might change your creative practicing, and what avenues I plan to address with creative practicing in the future

Problem Finding:  List at least 3 different ways of framing the problem using “In What Ways Might I” statements:

1.  IWWMI: In what ways might I create a space that is both calming and encourages productivity?

2.  IWWMI: In what ways might I ensure I enjoy the process of creating?

3. IWWMI:  In what ways might I maximize my enjoyment of this creative practice?

Select and highlight one problem statement you would like to work through the rest of the model.  

Idea Finding:  Brainstorm a minimum of 15 ideas for how you might address this problem statement.  

1. Allow myself time to brainstorm.

2. Give myself permission to make mistakes.

3. Not dismiss my ideas before trying them (whether through technology or tangible implementation)

4. Spend time in creative thought without pressure of an immediate product

5. Start with a clean slate (empty the room)

6. Share ideas with my friends and partner, hear what they have to say

7. Peruse the designs of others

8. Give myself permission to make changes; there is no final product - I can always change it

9. Not lose sight of the objective → to practice (and enjoy) meaningful creativity

10. Try new things (colors, ideas, themes)

11. Challenge myself with making things if the thoughts arise

12. Not lose sight of the objective → to create a space that helps me mentally and gives back to myself!

13. Document the process through journaling 

14. Document the process through photography

15. During exploration phases, not allow myself to look at the price tag. Instead, look for creativity and satisfaction! (I can deal with the price tag later, or get creative to make  or find an inexpensive version!)

Review your list and highlight the 4 most promising ideas from the list.  

Solution Finding:   Determine 4 different criteria that you will evaluate each of your ideas against.    Examples of criteria include:  Will it work?  Ease of Implementation?  Cost?  Time? Appeal?

Once you determine your criteria, evaluate each idea against each criterion on a scale of 1-5 with scores on the low end being less favorable and scores on the higher end being more favorable.  For example, if your criterion is cost, and the solution is not very expensive, it would get a score of 4 or 5.  If it is very expensive, it would get a score of 1 or 2.   Or, if your criterion is ease of implementation, and your solution would be complicated to do, then it might get a score of 1 on that criterion, and if it would be no trouble to implement, then it would earn a score of 5.  Please fill out the matrix below and total your scores.  Highlight the solution with the highest score.

Use the table below to create a matrix for evaluating your ideas.   On the top

Ideas/Criteria	Will it work?	Ease of Implementation?	Cost?	Time?	Total
Give myself permission to make mistakes.	5	2	3	4	14
Not dismiss my ideas before trying them	3	3	4	1	11
Try new things (colors, ideas, themes)	4	3	4	5	16
Start with a clean slate (empty the room)	5	5	5	4	19

Acceptance planning:  Now that you have reached a potential solution, describe a brief action plan that you could do to put the idea into play:  

I will start with a blank slate by emptying out the room the day before Thanksgiving. I will explore colors and themes through research and conversation that are all over my tastes (and maybe outside my initial tastes). I will brainstorm regularly and write down these ideas WITHOUT editing them so that I do not dismiss ideas before I give them the credit they are due. I will give myself permission to simply spend the 12 hours being creative; so that I can make mistakes, I will not expect to complete my project and have the final iteration within those 12 hours - This will allow me to truly enjoy the creative process!