10 Answers for Best Creativity and Focus
Recently I asked a number of professional women what their favorite practices were to stay focused and creative.
Here is a collection of ten suggestions.
Thank you to all of you women who shared what you do.
I’d also love to hear what YOU do to keep your brain sharp and creative!
1. Walking in a park while just being one with nature and staying in the present moment- help me to think clearly. My best ideas just come to me as I’m walking. Another method I use is alternate nostril breathing. This really helps me to think more creatively.
Diana McCray
www.dancingtowellness.com
2. I think regular exercise in aerobics classes that force me to follow directions is my key to staying clear and creative. When I am especially muddled I either move my body or write out whatever thoughts are running through my mind.
Laurie Weiss, Ph.D., MCC
Business Communication: Http://www.DareToSayIt.com/blog
Relationships: http://www.RelationshipHQ.com/blog
Personal Development: http://www.idontneedtherapy.com/blog
3. Here is my best way for me to stay sane!
The strategy that works the best and the quickest for me is to take a walk outside in nature. If I am feeling stuck or challenged mentally, I will go outside and walk and connect to nature and say a walking prayer… letting everything go or turning everything over to the Universe/God/Allah to work on it for me. I also like to t get a good ole magazine (Oprah or MORE) and sit outdoors in the sun till my my mood shifts. For me, it is more about getting out of my own way and “checking out” for a bit rather than trying to do therapy on myself and figure out what is wrong with me. The more that I don’t force things to change and am able to “let go”, the faster I can get into being creative again. In fact, I think I will go do that now! :>)
Sheri Rowland, MA
www.HavingTheTimeOfMyLifeNowBlog.com
4. I use Meditation, Pranayama Breathing, walking 3-5 miles 6 times a week, and playing musical instruments (piano, guitar and harmonica)
My mother-in-law does genealogy (using the computer) to stay sharp at age 76.
My husband reads 
Joan Ketels
http://beingofsoundspirit.com/blog/
5. My favorite strategy is 5-10 minutes of a practice called
Shiva Nata. http://bit.ly/dos-hav
I also like taking gardening breaks, making discrete decisions about what I am going to do, when, and for how long, and sudoku.
Molly Gordon
http://www.shaboominc.com/blog
6. Thanks for inviting me to participate. The timing of your request is right on as the New York Times had a front-page story yesterday http://bit.ly/rBfWt “At the Bridge Table, Clues to a Lucid Old Age.”
It details a study that shows that playing bridge and other games keeps minds sharp well into your 80s and 90s. I play bridge and it is an important part of my self care because it transports me to a world with a different population than my professional community. Bridge does keep you mentally sharp and, as the article points out, the socialization is just as important. I think always trying to learn something new (like how to create a blog!) is also mentally stimulating and carries over into all the activities of daily living.
Jeannette Paladino
http://writespeaksell.com/blog/
7. The most important part of my day is the time I spend in early morning sitting meditation. That may sound strange as an entrepreneurial habit, but from that place of quietness and reflection I gain insight, clarity, calmness, and focus. Many clients tell me I have the ability to focus quickly and succinctly on their business issues, to see the bottom place and help them move to and through that place with ease. I know that my morning practice has given me this skill, and I’m grateful that I can use it both for myself and in service to others. I bet that anyone’s business and personal mental status can see beneficial changes from a morning practice that fits the person, and includes quiet and reflective times.
Sue Painter
http://confidentmarketer.com/site/blog/
8. For me that is a two-part question. To stay grounded and access my intuition and creativity, I take a morning walk with my dog and use that time to remind myself of everything I am grateful for. To keep my mind sharp I carry a book of Sudoku (numbers) and whenever I am waiting for someone anywhere I work on one.
Dr. Jackie Black
www.AskDrJackie.com
9. I do many things that focus on self care. I start the day with a short Yoga routine, and if time a meditation for 20 minutes. I end the day with a longer yoga routine. During the day, at least 5 times a week I do either aerobic or strength training for at least a half an hour at a gym that is close by. I also eat organic foods, take vitamins, and eat several small meals a day. And I think quite important is that I started recently to drink half my weight in filtered water a day in ounces (you divide your body weight by 2, and then drink that many ozs a day).
Sharon Mulgrew, M.P.H.
Blog: Plays Well with Others www.sharonmulgrew.com
10. For keeping myself mentally sharp and creative, I choose physical exercise such as walking, kick boxing, yoga, salsa and zumba, aqua aerobics, and using the elliptical and other fitness machines. It sharpens my focus and also takes me out of my head and into my body, allowing my creativity to flow through me. In addition, I choose the best fresh fruits and vegetables and appropriate supplements.
Suzanne Holman, MAEd
http://www.AlzheimersintheFamily.com
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Comments
The most important thing I did to improve my brain function was to move beyond neurosis and become self-actualized.I did this in my fifties when, after a long search, I figured out how to do this.
Jean, I’d love to hear more.
What were some of the steps you took to become self-actualized?
s:)
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