Silly Ideas Jumpstart Creativity

If you are looking to jumpstart creative thinking, thinking up silly ideas is a fabulous way to kickstart the process. For instance, if there is a task at your job that makes you want to pull your hair out, can you think of a silly idea of how to solve it? Sometimes an unorthodox thought is just what you need open up your mind and help see the situation from a new perspective. Even if it doesn’t work, maybe it leads you to the idea that makes the task more enjoyable.

Some Silly Examples

Folding laundry is a drag for some—moving the pile around a few times before folding, finally folding, moving the folded stack a few times before putting away, wearing straight from the pile &/or putting away—and would be great to avoid. I know a smart momma that hangs everything that is clothing) and opens the “storage drawer” under her dryer to dump all the socks and underwear for her family to collect as needed. Silly? You bet. But it is super convenient for her.

For those who have trouble getting to the gym, even if they are using a gym buddy, this one is for you. I once heard of two gym buddies that, at the conclusion of each workout, would take one of each other’s gym sneakers home. This brilliant but silly move ensured that both would have to show or run the risk of wrecking the other’s fitness goals if they did not provide the missing shoe. This zany method capitalizes on our desire not to let others down.

A lot of things that seem nonsensical just fall outside normal conventions and preconceived attitudes. Had the Wright brothers not had the silly idea of flying and worked on many versions of silly solutions, our vacation plans would be very different. Try to think of silly ideas you could try yourself! They might get the results you were hoping for.