The Oxford English Dictionary defines creativity as “the use of imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness.” How will you exercise your creativity this year? To keep your creative resolutions, try these 5 process-oriented tips:

1. Choose a goal that matters to you — and write down the reasons why. Why do you want to keep this creative resolution? Why is this meaningful for you? It’s easier to achieve a goal when you’re clear about your motivation, notes psychologist Kelly McGonigal. To learn more from McGonigal about the science of goal-setting, read this article.

2. Block 10 minutes every day to work toward your creative goal. What’s the smallest action you can take today that moves you closer to your creative goal? Does it take less than 10 minutes? Do it. It may sound obvious, but it’s easy to forget: progress toward any goal requires an investment of time and energy. Here’s how some creative pros schedule their time.

3. Try this schedule for 100 days. The idea is simple: Work on your creative project, every day, for 100 days. Document your progress. (After 100 days, you can pivot as needed.) Read more about the 100 Day Project here.

4. If you get stuck, create something — anything. “If you have a creative mind, it’s a little bit like owning a border collie,” notes author Elizabeth Gilbert. “You have to give it something to do or it will find something to do, and you will not like the thing it finds to do.” For more ideas from Gilbert, read this article. To exercise your creative mind right now, try one of these fun writing prompts.

5. Enjoy the creative process. “Necessity isn’t always the mother of invention,” says Steven Johnson in this TED Talk. ”You’ll find the future wherever people are having the most fun.” Whether that means finding a creative buddy to swap ideas with, or learning how to express your ideas through stop-motion animation, know that creative discovery and play go hand-in-hand — and while you can’t control the outcome, you can control the process. So follow your curiosity — and remember to have fun!

Art credit: iStock

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