media update’s Talisa Jansen van Rensburg takes a look at why structure encourages creativity in marketing instead of suppressing it. 

If so many people believe that everyday rituals are the death of creativity, then it must be true, right? Wrong!

Without a routine, humans would not have much self-discipline. As American philosopher and psychologist William James once said: “[Schedules] free our minds to advance to really interesting fields of action.”

Here are three reasons why setting up a routine schedule might  help your creativity:

1. Structure provides a clear goal 

Imagine you are in a meeting with your team and boss, and the boss says, “Give me an idea that would take this product to the next level.” But, you have no idea what the product is, how it works or what it’s supposed to do for the consumer. Not only will it be extremely difficult to come up with an idea on the spot, but the idea you do come up with might be too far off. 

This is where structure comes into play. Being able to put the information you receive at that moment and place it into a clear category will encourage new ideas, and at the same time, help you stay on the right track.

Knowing what your creative idea needs to be about will also place a goal in mind, making it a lot easier to think in creative ways without fearing that your idea may not be relevant. 

There are a few things that can discourage a creative mind, and that is constant rejection.  Structure, however, will encourage you to stay focused and think creatively of ideas that are actually relevant. 

2. It trains your brain

When you get into a specific routine, your brain automatically adjusts, which means that if you work out a schedule where you have an hour every afternoon where all you do is think creatively, eventually your mind and body will get into the habit of thinking of ideas during that specific time. 

You have probably heard many people say that they always get their best ideas in the shower. But why is that? Well, according to a study done by Scott Barry Kaufman, “72% [of], people reported more inspiration in their showers than they did at work.”

Taking a shower makes people feel safe and it is a place that provides “a dopamine high, relaxed state and distracted mind,” which are factors that are ideal for creativity and ideas.

“Dopamine [is] critical to creativity; it’s released when we feel relaxed,” says Eric Torrence, author of Thin Difference.

What this means is, if you work on a structure and routine where you take a shower and listen to music daily, you will be surprised to see what innovative and crazy ideas will flourish.

3. Structure encourages self-discipline 

Humans often get bored and the main reason for this is that they often find self-discipline a difficult feat to achieve. Having rules and deadlines will encourage you to create great ideas. Because when you put a little bit of pressure on yourself, you’re more focused on coming up with a  solution; you desire the relief and satisfaction of solving a problem. 

Having self-discipline will also allow you to focus on the task that requires most of your attention. For instance, if your brand is tasked with thinking of new and innovative ways to promote or sell a product or service, this way of thinking can really come in handy. 

Back in 2016, Jim Lusty wrote an article for Minute Hack titled, Why Structure Is The Best Friend Of Creativity. In his article, he mentioned a few tips on how to create a structure that will work for you. 

This includes:
  1. Experimenting: “Don’t be precious; come up with a lot of structures that you think might work but treat it like an experiment.” If it works it works. If not, move on!
  2. Carrot and stick: “I believe you create the most impact with a combination of motivating and policing structures.” So go out there and motivate yourself!
  3. Leaders first: “Whoever is put in charge of implementing structures must make the run to the top. Everyone emulates the leaders and their behaviour.” 
  4. Get creative: “If you want structures that encourage and enable a creative culture then the structures themselves need to embody that ambition.”
What are some other ways you think structure can encourage creativity? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Now that you understand how structure can help boost creativity, be sure to check out the Three reasons why marketers need creative confidence.
*Image courtesy of Vecteezy