Even though Spring is in the air, even though the vaccine roll-out programme is progressing amazingly quickly, and even though the end of this Covid nightmare seems to be within sight, the British workplace remains under pressure. The state of the economy is uncertain, no job is guaranteed and everything is in the melting pot. It’s a bit like we’ve been hit by a massive tsunami with debris strewn all over the place, and it’s now time to pick up the pieces.
Even more alarmingly, there is the strong possibility that the Covid pandemic will be replaced by a mental health pandemic and this one could last years. Both the government and employers will have to tread the next few months very carefully if they want to ensure that the working population stays on the mental straight and narrow.
However, there is an unlikely source of help to be found and it’s available to everyone.
Creativity!
Yes, creativity is good for your mental well-being.
How does creativity boost your mental health?
There are a number of factors that contribute to the therapeutic effect that creativity can have on mental well-being.
- Meditation Plus: When you are creative, your brain enters a state of flow and becomes totally absorbed by what you are doing. It’s like meditation or mindfulness, but better, because you have something tangible to show for it!
- Dopamine feel-good factor: The reward centers in our brain release dopamine; it’s this chemical surge that boosts your mood. Dopamine, sometimes referred to as the feel-good chemical, is a neurotransmitter that acts as a natural antidepressant. When we engage in creative pursuits and the neurons in our brain start firing, we receive positive re-enforcement. So not only does being creative feel good at the time, but our brains are also essentially telling us to keep going. More of the same, please.
- Therapy: The British Journal of Health Psychology published a study that highlighted the benefits of journaling as a way of improving mental health. The study showed that writing about an emotional topic lowered people’s cortisol levels. Similarly, painting or drawing about the struggles a person is going through is a good way of expressing emotions or experiences that they are not able to verbalize or write down.
- Socializing: Creativity doesn’t need to be an individual pursuit. It can be something that is enjoyed collectively. During Lockdown, this could be an easy, effective and entertaining way of staying connected with others……as well as being good for your mental state of mind. And when we do return to the workplace, we will be returning to a social environment.
But not only is creativity good for everybody’s well-being but it is also greatly beneficial for the commercial welfare of every single company emerging from the grip of Covid-19. Never before has creativity been more important than it is today.
What can companies do to foster creativity during Lockdown…and beyond?
- Zoom control. Stress and pressure are not conducive to creativity. If employees are now working from home, it is counter-productive to fill up the day with back-to-back Zoom or Microsoft Teams calls. If 2 hours of commuting time a day has been saved by the mandate of Lockdown, avoid the temptation of filling this time with the more day-to-day nitty-gritty. Give this time back to employees and ask them to get creative.
- Creative oases – Have employees got places and spaces in the home that can serve as ‘creative oases’? A home office or a corner of a room full of color, photos, and quirky little objects? A ‘Costa Kitchen’ where they can meet up daily with housemates or family to banter and brainstorm. A bathroom infused with gentle music and lavender smells to reward body and mind!
- Moving with your mood – Do your employees know where their brain is at its creative best throughout the day? Which room in the house is good for what kind of thinking?
- Creative twists and turns – What are you doing to encourage creativity at the very tactical level? Does every Zoom call have to follow the same format? Why not set the team a creative challenge for the week, something useful for the company, but also playful at the same time? How about sending the team a great example of creativity demonstrated during Covid-times every day at 4 pm and ask for comments? Little boosts of dopamine every day will help keep the stress away!
- Ready for the return – What plans do you have in place for the return to normality once Covid has left our shores? Three days at the office, two days working from home? A more creativity-friendly working environment? Employers have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to re-think the workplace and work routines. We mustn’t waste it.
Biologically speaking, creativity is good for the preservation of mental health! It’s free and there are no side-effects. Mental health is also good for creativity. So, if companies can create an environment that fosters both creativity and mental well-being, then it really is going to a big win-win all around.
Mark Simmonds is a creativity, insight, and innovation expert and the founder of GENIUS YOU – a company that helps teams develop winning ideas by strengthening creative muscles
