Hacking the Creative Brain - Devoxx Belgium, 2014

/* Denise Jacobs Devoxx BE Developer’s Conference | Antwerp, Belgium 14 November 2014 */

>> Work Better, Create More

Who: @denisejacobs

Where: @Devoxx #Devoxx

What: #hackcreativity

After writing this…

I had an epiphany

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44085287@N05/4055814772/

Creativity: powerful and empowering

http://www.flickr.com/photos/assbach/267598910/

Photo by Derek Kearney

Shifted my focus to what I love

Why I do what I do http://TheCreativeDose.com/

Intro The State of the Union

What’s our most important tool for creating? http://www.flickr.com/photos/drachmann/327122302/

This one!

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3APSM_V14_D495_Side_view_of_the_brain_and_spinal_cord.jpg

Managers

Bureaucracy

http://www.flickr.com/photos/opensourceway/4749431435/

Clients http://www.flickr.com/photos/clairity/154640125/

Time pressures http://www.flickr.com/photos/indraw/4857101224/

Mentally overwhelmed http://www.toonpool.com/cartoons/__62375#img9

Oppressed

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johannahobbs/2412291551/

“Houston, we have a problem…” http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S70-34902.jpg

When we are in the creative flow

http://www.flickr.com/photos/myfear/289257055/

We are alchemists http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Faust_image_19thcentury.jpg

“Creativity is newness produced.” Sir Ken Robinson, Out of Our Minds

It feels like

http://www.flickr.com/photos/torley/2761300969/

“Creativity is magical, but it is not magic.” Dr. Charles Limb, Your Brain on Improvisation TED talk

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kosmotesto/3794445313/

“Creativity is all about making connections and seeing patterns.” Bruce Nussbaum,Creativity Intelligence

Our Goals

1 Emancipate

2

Adjust

3

Practice Discipline 4 Generate & Execute

1 Emancipate

Mass hypnosis

https://www.flickr.com/photos/yxelle/5806302053

Habits and thinking to quit

http://www.flickr.com/photos/meddygarnet/4170136164/sizes/l/

Distractions

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicksherman/529178002/

Multitasking

http://www.flickr.com/photos/daquellamanera/3041235238/

Zeigarnik Effect

http://www.psychwiki.com/wiki/Zeigarnik_Effect

Communication addiction

http://www.flickr.com/photos/andersdenken/2082816707/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jepoirrier/422469526/ | http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristoferbjorkman/6910216819/ | http://www.flickr.com/photos/foreignoffice/2671039488/

Intermittent reinforcement

Internalized the critical voices

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeapalooza/553545517/

Become monsters in your head

http://www.flickr.com/photos/epsos/4887528060/

Instead of Creativity

Source: Flickr

Destructivity

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevygee/3265941065/

“If your demons are such that they fill the room the instant you contemplate creating, your studio will be too dangerous a place to enter.” Eric Maisel, author of Fearless Creating

Recognize the many forms of your Inner Critic

Impostor Syndrome

(vs. the Dunning-Kruger Effect)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/paul-drummond/3946893897

Hack >> Know the Impostor Syndrome Paradox

http://www.flickr.com/photos/x1brett/2279939232/

Comparisons

http://www.flickr.com/photos/automania/126698126/

Procrastination

http://www.flickr.com/photos/irrezolut/2311904560/

Perfectionism

http://www.flickr.com/photos/diepuppenstubensammlerin/7648792510/

Fear of failure

http://www.flickr.com/photos/laughingsquid/2717325940/

F.E.A.R. =

http://cdnpix.com/show/imgs/7a361666e107cd36656d5a66ea2e4e80.jpg

Or…

https://twitter.com/Phishtitz/status/474661495935365120

Thoughts on fear

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZIt20emgLY

“Fear is not real. It is a product of the thoughts you create. Do not misunderstand me. Danger is very real. But fear is a choice.” Character of Cypher Raige (played by Will Smith), After Earth

Hack >> Become a Fear Alchemist

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joseph_Wright_of_Derby_The_Alchemist.jpg

“The goal is to manage anxiety so that our energies are used for the productive and satisfying (act) of creating, rather than the destructive and debilitating art of self-torture.” Clare Warmke, Idea Revolution

Banish Your Inner Critic!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/31505964@N08/4691019168/

Hack>>Amp up empathy

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wrote/2646295354/

Hack>>Maintain perspective

http://www.flickr.com/photos/daikrieg/1294053038/

Hack>>Reassign duty

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shavawnmarie/1326123397/

Hack>>Reframe #FAIL

http://www.flickr.com/photos/laughingsquid/2717326642/

“Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” Henry Ford

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thirteenthnile/4546397775/

Change your body language, change your mind

“Our bodies change our minds, our minds change our behavior, and our behavior changes our outcomes.” Amy Cuddy, Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are TED talk

Hack>>Cop a Power Pose

Stand up. Assume a pose that embodies a sense of defeat, can’t do it, it will never work, “I suck/I’m no good/an impostor”, etc. Make yourself as small and powerless feeling as possible.

Then, strike a power pose. Imagine yourself as a superhero looking off into the distance seeing your destiny of major creative butt-kicking.

Alternate several times. Hold the power pose for as long as you can so that you can feel the change.

#Exercise: Power Pose

2 Adjust

Adjust: Train Your Brain

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tiarescott/3211540197/

Left v. Right brain?

http://browse.deviantart.com/?q=left%20brain%20right%20brain&order=9&offset=48#/d10qlpq

Left hemisphere

http://www.flickr.com/photos/smittenkittenoriginals/4451172538/

Right hemisphere

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lorelei-ranveig/2294885580/

Instead: Left + Right brain = Creativity

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47691521@N07/4639590640/

“The parts of your brain that are responsible for self-monitoring are literally turned off during creative endeavors….Creative people have mastered the art of turning off [the inhibitive] part of their brains to let their ideas flow more smoothly, unleashing their imagination.”

Tina Seelig, InGenius

What are our brains constantly producing?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cblue98/7254347346/

Know your Brainwaves

Alpha: the gateway to creativity

Close your eyes and relax. Breathe through your nose. Now place your tongue at the roof of your mouth,

turn your eyes towards the ceiling underneath your eyelids.

Take several deep, long breaths. As you relax, you are changing your brainwaves from

Beta to Alpha.

#Exercise: Enter Alpha

Explains everything

Hack >> Breathe to refocus

http://www.flickr.com/photos/guiniveretoo/1573049301/

Hack >> Being prone

http://www.flickr.com/photos/snazzy54/4581347651/

Hack >> Showers

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/3761878381/

Hack >> Daydream/Space out

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fuzzylittlemanpeach/4633972431/

Hack >> Get physical

http://www.flickr.com/photos/miguel77/2728104156/

Makes a HUGE difference

“When your brain is supposedly doing nothing, it’s really doing a tremendous amount.” Marcus Raichle, Neurologist

Intend Alpha

http://uniteunderfreedom.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Brain-waves.jpg

3 Practice Discipline

Exercise Discipline

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bizz0k0/3432638748/

Focus on meaningful tasks

http://www.43folders.com/2008/09/01/what-are-you-doing

Show up everyday

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/8064533288/

And really commit to it

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deathtogutenberg/2976274920/

Hack >> Delegate

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/3645313261/

Delegation works

Clean-up habit fields

http://www.flickr.com/photos/risager/3452272176/

Habit what?

http://alistapart.com/article/habit-fields

Clean up your work habit field by following the suggestions in the article “Habit Fields” by Jack Cheng. Create your equivalent of a “distraction chair” and move to it when you feel like you are inclined to surf the web, email, Tweet, Facebook, or engage in any other computer-related distraction. When you are ready to work again, come back to your desk.

Rinse and repeat until your work habit field is clear again and no longer fuzzy.

Hack >> Habit field reboot

Manage time

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paolocampioni/2168286027/

Single-task

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33498942@N04/6009639079/

Say NO to Distractions

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gideon/6582069/

HeyFocus.com

Added bonus

RescueTime.com

Tools RescueTime.com GetConcentrating.com HeyFocus.com

Browser Extensions Firefox: LeechBlock Idderall Google Chrome: Strict Workflow StayFocusd

Aids for digital blocking

Hack >> Pomodoro Technique

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucamascaro/4975166968/

Hack >> Airplane mode

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pieterouwerkerk/699475144/

4 Generate & Execute

Generate: Start the flow of ideas

http://www.flickr.com/photos/international-festival/3018718331/

Everything is a Remix

“Mona Lisa” by Paul Giovanopoulos, http://www.giovanopoulos.com/

Hack>>Get your Remix on!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/opensourceway/4812026355/

Hack >> Create constaints http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielsilliman/4489863368/

Generate ideas

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathb/3933087930/

Capture ideas

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosengrant/3637839874/

Embrace disruption

Photo: Denise Jacobs

What are you going to do now?

Write them down

http://www.flickr.com/photos/caitlinator/2826079915/

Sketch them out

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eoze04/4890376021/

Talk them out (& record it)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamescridland/3641402489/

Gather and curate your ideas

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gmanviz/3181410714/

Evernote Pinterest.com Delicious.com Flickr.com Trello.com Zootool.com Gimmebar.com

Dropr.com Diigo Tumblr Imgspark.com Scrnshots.com Vi.sualize.us Emberapp.com

Tools to do so

“Creativity is more than a great idea, it’s the determination to see the idea through to fruition.” Clare Warmke, Idea Revolution

Prototype

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mindmob/292609444/

Iterate

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deliciousblur/4165405018/

•  Observe •  Suggest •  Tinker •  Review •  Apply feedback •  Reiterate

The d.school production-iteration process

The stage is set for Flow

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sgeithner/5290115839/

How do you get there?

•  Concept in mind: know what you want to achieve and what it looks like

•  Practice in place •  Cleared space •  Time carved out and distractions eliminated •  Necessary materials on hand

All of the previous steps lead you here:

Epilogue Liberation

Previously

http://www.flickr.com/photos/generated/2084287794/

Moving forward

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pulpolux/3317141795/

(Re)Gain Creative Confidence

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44085287@N05/4055807492/

“…the confidence that, when given a difficult problem, we have a methodology that enables us to come up with a solution that nobody has before.” David Kelley of Ideo

What you produce is unique

Hack your habits >> Different Results

http://starchild07.deviantart.com/art/Brainwaves-44238823

Practicing different habits >> Transform your life

“Creativity makes day to day experiences more vivid, more enjoyable, more rewarding. When we live creatively, boredom is banished and every moment holds the promise of a fresh discovery.” Mihali Csikszentmihalyi, Creativity

Let out all of your great ideas http://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/8156999698/

Get your creativity hack on!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bibi/5448158773/

The End…? (or is just the beginning?)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/imuttoo/232100469/

delicious.com/denisejacobs/getunblocked delicious.com/denisejacobs/unfoldyourbrain delicious.com/denisejacobs/creativityhabit delicious.com/denisejacobs/brainoncreativity Always being updated as I find new relevant articles! “Great Resources” almost daily: @denisejacobs on

Twitter

Resources!

Four Secrets to Enhancing Creative Productivity www.creativebloq.com/inspiration/four-secrets-enhancing-creative-productivity-9126098

My articles for further reading

Banishing Your Inner Critic alistapart.com/articles/banishing-your-inner-critic/

Reigniting Your Creative Spark alistapart.com/articles/reigniting-your-creative-spark/

Breaking the Perfectionism-Procrastination Infinite Loop webstandardssherpa.com/reviews/breaking-the-perfectionism-procrastination-infinite-loop/

THE CREATIVE DOSE A Creativity + Innovation Collective

Work Better. Create More. Create Betterness.

Creative Thinking & Problem-solving Applying an Innovation Mindset

Creative Collaboration Team Communication & Cohesion

TheCreativeDose.com @thecreativedose

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Photo used with permission: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aarronwalter/4629078087/

Thank you!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwworks/4759535970/