8 HABITS FOR CREATIVITY
A lot of times, you don’t find inspiration—it finds you. But creativity? That’s something you can build into your day.
These eight micro-habits help our designers stay curious, energized, and open to ideas.
LITTLE HABITS. BIG IDEAS.
1. Go Outside
Forget your phone. Don’t listen to music. Take a few minutes to be in nature. Reset your brain. See what it tells you.
2. Put Pen to Paper
Take five minutes to sketch or write. It can be as simple as describing or drawing what’s around you.
3. Change Your Perspective
If you can, move to a different working space. Break up your time and see things from a new angle.
4. Share What You're Working On
And do it often. Listen to feedback from your peers and continue to refine.
5. Embrace the Wrong Idea
Sometimes, we know an idea isn’t 100% the one. That’s okay. You can still see it through and find out what it tells you.
6. End Your Day With Excitement
Take a moment to consider what’s exciting you and how it can influence your work.
7. Opt for Specificity
Go beyond ‘pretty’ and ‘beautiful’ when you’re drawn to something—take it further. What emotions does it evoke? How do you feel?
8. Play Around a Little Before You Refine
Collect ideas loosely. Explore references that don’t quite make sense. You can edit later.
“I always keep a set of design heuristics cards in our studio for a creative jumpstart."
"In school, we used these cards to ‘design on command,’ understanding that design is the merging of art and business, and we’ll be expected to deliver ideas even when inspiration is hard to come by. The cards go through a variety of exercises—things like: change the scale, flip it upside down, utilize the opposite surface, etc. They can help push a design forward and get you thinking out of the box.”
– Jacob Martinson, Design Studio Manager, Americas, USA
FUEL YOUR
CREATIVE FIRE
We asked Interface’s design experts to share how they keep ideas flowing. This guide distills their insights into practical tips you can revisit anytime.