Power down and get the creative juices flowing

Is it time to power down?

Screens have become so omnipresent in our lives that internet addiction is recognised by the World Health Organisation as a mental health condition. Here are our top tips for switching off.

Resist FOMO – It’s tempting to respond immediately to every ding or vibration alert from your phone but checking emails at three set times each day is enough.

Communicate – Let people know about your plans to be offline at set times during the day.

Out of sight, out of mind – Turn off your phone, or at least temporarily silence your email and social media alerts, and then get your devices out of your line of sight until you’re ready to reconnect.

Get moving – A quick walk around the block or a five-minute stretch will relax those muscles in your neck, back, and shoulders that suffer when you’re hunched over a keyboard.

Rest your eyes – To relax and refresh your eyes, gaze into the distance every 20 minutes for 20 seconds.

Create a safe (tech-free) space to rest – Sleep is a time for your body and mind to rest and repair from the day’s stressors, so make your bedroom screen-free.

How to get the creative juices flowing

A smart business owner not only encourages innovative ideas from staff, but also follows up and implements fresh, new concepts. It makes your team feel included, valued, and may pay dividends with great new systems. So, how do you foster creativity in your crew?

Make brainstorming easy. When employees have a wide-open whiteboard to work with, you never know what ideas might come up. A great digital version is Stormboard where each digital sticky note can house its own whiteboard for a productive brainstorming session.

Encourage individuality. Let your employees know you value their thoughts and ideas by showing genuine interest with follow up questions. What started as a watercooler quip may evolve into a game-changing concept.

Provide a stimulating atmosphere. Consider a workspace that has ambient noise. Avoid sterile whites, greys, and beige in favour of relaxing pastel colours with bold orange or red in the shared space for a more energised atmosphere.