21 days of creative challenges: animated mixed media videos, square format, 1-2 minutes
Everybody can benefit from a boost of creativity. On any given day we have to solve a super-abundance of professional and personal challenges. I enjoy creative problem solving and have fun with it. Having been involved in hundreds of creative projects, I literally learned to love "messing up", seeing mistakes as a good thing and recognizing the genius in so-called failures. I enjoy the process even though occasionally my perfectionist ego pops up and pronounces judgment (visual: ego crushing hammer.. haha...).
Here are some ideas on how to move with the creative flow more easily and to come up with simply better ideas. As a result of doing the {Ool-ree-kah} moments regularly, you might feel an improvement of team work, productivity and more fun. The "exercises" help to establish a creative habit (when done for at 21 days or more).
Tips are based on the latest research from the UCSB lab and other studies.
Ulrike Moment #1: Quantity matters
One thing i like about being creative is to feel free,.. free from judgment, old habits, self-imposed limitations,…
But how do you feel free, when your mind likes to superimpose a perfectionist outcome?
To help to get to this feeling of freedom, I focus on creating a quantity, not quality…
Produce a quantity of designs, scripts, proposals or whatever (on a tight deadline, with an even tighter budget) you automatically loose the important of getting it "right" or "perfect" .
When I don't care about the outcome, I enjoy the process..and funny enough...the result gets better!
Without quantity there is no quality! Take some of the world’s most famous artists, they all have been highly prolific. Here is a short quantity exercise that you can do alone or with friends as a game: It’s a great antidote for perfectionists!
Ulrike Moment #1: Take a paper-sheet with 30 circles on it (download-link) and set the alarm clock to 3 minutes. With a ballpoint pen or marker, fill in as many circles as you can by drawing an illustration or a word in each circle like a designer-line of buttons (flashes of pins). Think of hand-drawn lettering styles, calligraphy, bubble letters, emojis, statements, affirmations, quotes and silly portraits.
The three minute deadline will keep you focussed and leaves no time for judgement and you will get the “ WHATEVER” feeling.
Do this alone or invite a couple of friends, collect their drawings afterwards without their names on it and guess who did which.
Take a photo of your drawing and post below your favorite pin (button)!
Other Ulrike Moments are:
2. Pareidolia
3. Daydream
4. Unplug and Notice
5. Change domains
6. Typography alive
7. Take a muse
8. Paper-cup characters
9. write a list of...
10. play Einstein
10. sketch a day
11. repeat
12. draw empty spaces
13. do not eat the ice-cream
14. explain to your friends
What is the Ulrike moment? The Ulrike moment starts with four defining attributes of this experience. First, the Aha! moment appears suddenly; second, the solution to a problem can be processed smoothly, or fluently; third, the Ulrike moment elicits positive affect; fourth, a person experiencing the Ulrike moment is recognizing that the solution is authentic and true.
Results are more creative and more productive.
I am offering creativity workshops that help unleash idea-flow and promote a work environment of joy and creation. Team building and better communication are often the result.
In my opinion, everything flows better and you are more productive when you know what triggers the best ideas. You and your team will receive a bunch of creative tools and techniques around divergent /convergent thinking according to the latest research.
Please check out my course for more info: https://vivadesign.mykajabi.com/vivadesign-countdown2020