Most fundraisers I talk to wish they had more time for creative thinking. Time to let their minds wander and come up with fresh ways of thinking about their work. Coming up with new ideas can make us better at our jobs. We also know from past experience that creativity is engaging and energising.
And yet we can easily be pulled towards focused work. Have I hit my targets this week? Who do I have to call? What do I need to prepare for my next meeting?
We know we need time and space for both linear and creative thinking and the ability to jump from one to the other. The question is how we create space for creativity in our workplaces.
I found some inspiration in the book The Happiness Track by Emma Seppälä, Ph.D.
Let’s imagine you are working on a proposal for a major gift donor.
Dr. Seppälä promotes the idea that “purposeful mind-wandering” can help you be more creative and successful. She suggests creating a schedule that alternates between focused tasks and mindless tasks.
Focused tasks might include gathering information, talking to colleagues, and writing a draft. Then you can switch to a more mindless task to create space for ideas to emerge. We can all probably identify with this phenomenon where you are so focused on writing something and getting nowhere. Then you go for a walk to get coffee and suddenly it is clear how you should structure that proposal. Then you come back to focused work with greater ease and success.
So next time you undertake a task that requires creativity make sure to break up the focus with 15 minute mindless breaks. During this time you may:
- Take a walk, especially near nature such as a tree lined street or park
- Switch to a task that is less demanding, like entering call notes in the database
- Let your mind wander and daydream
- Listen to music
- Walk to the kitchen and drink some water
- Meditate or do some breathing techniques
- Clean your desk
And remember that checking your email or social media are not good options as they simply move your focus elsewhere rather than giving you a mindless break.
So before you start that next big project, make a list of tasks you find less challenging. Then when you need to create some space for creativity you will have options for what to do in those 15 minute mindless breaks.
Janice Cunning is a Certified Coach who is passionate about partnering with fundraisers to help them create an inspired vision that transforms lives.