The art of adaptability: With

The art of adaptability

Words and illustration by Bethan Christopher

Before Covid-19 became a household name, innovation in technology and climate change were already drastically altering how we lived. With the arrival of the pandemic, the changes we face have been ramped up further, transforming our day-to-day lives, perspectives and priorities

Unlike one year ago, many people are now living with an acute sense of the unknown. We have no idea what is going to happen next month, let alone next week and unsure of how Covid-19 is going to impact our lives long term, any plans we make feel tentative. In fact, the only thing we can really be certain of is that things will continue to change.

When the only thing that we know about the future is that it’s going to be unpredictable, the wisest thing to do is develop a resource that allows us to adapt quickly, come up with new ideas and find effective solutions. What is this resource? The answer is creativity. Creativity isn’t just about being able to knit a nice sweater, work out a new recipe for sourdough or compose a limerick. Creative thinking helps us to see opportunities when we’re feeling stuck, helps us to think outside the box and innovate new solutions to seemingly impossible problems. Ultimately creativity is the key to adaptability. It helps us to be flexible and work out how to effectively reposition ourselves, our family and our business during these strange and unpredictable times. Here are six things you can do to start growing your creative thinking skills today.

1. Reframe how you see the arts.

Stop seeing art and creative skills as existing purely for entertainment. Recognise that everything you see around you in the human-made world is the result of someone, at some

point, having a creative idea and then innovating ways to turn that thought into a thing. By reframing how you see creativity and its value in the world, you’ll be more likely to commit your time and energy to developing your creative thinking skills.

2. Set goals and prioritise your creative skill building.

Make developing your creativity as important as going to the gym or spending time with your loved ones. Go onto the internet and research the various exercises and tools available to help you to develop your creative thinking skills, then chunk time out in your week to practise and action those things. Look up the work of Tony Buzan, whose Mind Mapping technique is a great way of exploring and expanding your creative ideas.

3. Approach problems from different perspectives.

One way to do this is the “Six Hats Technique”, a great tool that allows you to generate multiple solutions. Here’s how:

Black Hat: Use a negative perspective. Which elements of the solution won’t work?

Blue Hat: Think broadly. What is the best overall solution?

Green Hat: Think creatively. What are some alternative ideas?

Red Hat: Look at the situation emotionally. What do your feelings tell you? White Hat: Look at the situation objectively. What are the facts? Yellow Hat: Use a positive perspective. Which elements of the solution will work?

4. Choose one creative skill to master and then prepare to be a learner again.

Learning new skills may mean that you’re starting out as a beginner and to do this requires risk taking and the possibility of failure. While your efforts may not yield fabulous results every time, each attempt to develop your new skill will boost your creative talents, build resilience and resourcefulness – all of which are helpful qualities in a time of uncertainty. Focus on the process, not the product.

5. Go and find seasoned creatives.

The Isle of Wight has attracted flamboyant makers since the Victorian era and still today our island brims with writers, makers, musicians and those with artistic leanings. Creative people often have the power to perceive new possibilities, have a keen interest in life and are often interesting to talk to. By interacting with different people from different artistic disciplines or creative professions, the chances are that you’ll come away inspired, with ideas sparked and an expanded imagination of what is possible for you.

6. Expand a hobby using a creative approach.

Pinpoint one of your current hobbies – ideally something that you don’t usually consider a creative pursuit, such as walking, playing computer games, scrolling social media, bird watching, fossil hunting etc. Now put your creative side to work and bring a new artistic element into that hobby. For example, maybe take a sketchpad out and do a daily drawing on your walk. Or, decide a theme for your social media and work on a series of photographs that you could take to explore that theme. Linking creative thinking to habits and hobbies is great to exercise and grow the artistic mind.