Creativity & Mindfulness: Ways to Enhance Focus & Reduce Stress
One of the great thrills of the work that I do these days is that I’m able to provide my client organizations with a shortcut to achieving creative flow. The moment I announce that my assembled participants are going to write - and sing - a song, I’ve provided what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (in his book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience) refers to as the “activation energy” that we all need to enter a state of enhanced focus where the outside world - and its incumbent stresses - melts away. Below are a few of the advantages of the mindfulness borne of exploring our innate creativity.
A little discomfort goes a long way
It’s not news that we’re all distracted and pulled in countless directions every day. As a result, it takes a little additional effort to get ourselves to focus and to put our distractions aside. When I explain to a group of high achievers who value being in control that I’m going to have them do something “impossible” in the writing and singing of a song, it’s amazing to watch the phones disappear, hear the nervous laughter and have the complete attention of everyone involved. The goal of my work isn’t to make people uncomfortable, but a little discomfort is a quick and harmless way of bringing everyone into the present moment to tackle a shared challenge.
Putting something new into the world
Creativity, as the word implies, is an act of creation. When we’re asked to contribute something new to the world, it can feel daunting. That being said, there is nothing more exhilarating that becoming immersed in a creative act and witnessing the birth of a new idea, product or process. When I provide the rules for creating metaphors and then writing verse and chorus lyrics, the fear of the unknown falls away and we all get to work. The concentration and awareness that my participants bring to the creative process is the very definition of mindfulness.
Creativity is both productive and fun
It never hurts to remind others - and myself - that great, productive work doesn’t have to be a grind. Life can be stressful enough so if there’s a way to do excellent work and have fun in the bargain, why wouldn’t we? One of creativity’s superpowers is that you can be doing genuinely important work while still smiling and - heaven help us - laughing at the same time. Think of creativity - and creative work no matter how small - as an antidote to the stresses of everyday life.
Conclusion
Bringing a new song - or any idea for that matter - into the world is one of the great joys of my profession and, for the past decade, it’s been an honor to be able to share that joy with others. While creativity for its own sake is reward enough, there are also significant benefits to any creative practice not least of which are enhancing your focus, reducing stress and providing the ability to be truly present in the moment.
Bio
Cliff Goldmacher is a GRAMMY-recognized, #1 hit songwriter, music producer and author with recording studios in Nashville, TN and Middle River, MD. Through his studios, Cliff provides songwriters outside of Nashville with virtual, live access to Nashville’s best session musicians and studio vocalists for their songwriting demos. Find out more. You can also download Cliff’s FREE tip sheet “A Dozen Quick Fixes To Instantly Improve Your Songs.”
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