How can mindfulness help you balance structure and spontaneity in creative work?

Desde mi perspectiva, para hablar de mindfulness debemos dejar de satanizar el hecho de "no hacer nada", durante años hemos engrandecido a la productividad dejándola pasar incluso por encima de nosotros mismos, muestra de ello son los fenómenos como el "burnout", la ansiedad, la depresión. El ocio es necesario, sentarse y despejar la mente sin intentar distraernos con una serie o un video en redes sociales más que un acto de mindfulness me parece un acto de resistencia. Uno sin duda necesario y, sobre todo, beneficioso. Debemos dejar de creer que estar ocupados todo el día es idóneo para nuestras mentes y nuestros cuerpos.

Desde mi experiencia en la práctica de técnicas de meditación, relajación y enfoque considero que el mindfulness puede ser aplicado para ayudar no solo a la creatividad sino también a equilibrar el estrés, la autoexigencia, la desmotivacion y la dispersión en cualquier persona que lo practique seriamente. NO es mágico pero con disciplina y constancia es una gran herramienta para el "enfoque" y para poder estar en estado" flow" cuando uno lo requiera.

Desde mi opinión, el mindfulness se debe de ver como un entrenamiento para tu mente, algo así como un gimnasio pero para tus pensamientos. En lugar de dejar que tu mente divague sin control, te enfocas en lo que estás haciendo y en cómo te sientes en ese preciso instante. Es verlo como un respiro a tu cerebro del caos diario, mientras aprendes a disfrutar del aquí y el ahora.

Mindfulness is the art of letting go that gives breath to the science of wellness. It is the act of staying in the present moment. It takes practice to find out what works for you but perseverance pays off. Once you find that activity that best promotes a sense of peace and contentment and you commit to practice and routine, the benefits can be well work it. Research indicates that acts of mindfulness have contribute positively to emotion regulation, stress response, memory, and learning. It also aids with managing anxiety and depression.

A balanced state of the mind is imperative to achieve top notch creativity. In this state, new clear and improved methods can be thought out well and easily implemented.

Have you ever worked a job that made you anxious, depressed, or stressed? After leaving that job, did you find yourself with more energy and zest? That's because your brain isn't bogged down with worries. When your mind has time to decompress or reset, it's a heck of a lot easier to get into your creative headspace. Carving out time on a daily or weekly basis for your mind to relax is crucial—I personally go for walks 2-4x a day as part of my mindfulness routine. It allows me to soak up the sun and not overwhelm my brain with worries of how productive I'm being. In those moments, I allow my thoughts to ebb and flow because I know that when I sit back down to work, I might have a fresh idea that takes my work in a new direction.

Desde donde estoy parada, agregaría que al abrir un espacio mental donde las ideas pueden florecer sin ser ahogadas por el ruido mental, logras que tu mente sea liberada de preocupaciones pasadas o futuras, lo que permite que la creatividad brote de una manera más fluida. Como ya no observas tus pensamientos de manera crítica, ya no limitas tus ideas a juicios automáticos, dejando un ambiente más que de originalidad.

Mindfulness enhances creativity even though the relationship between the two can be nuanced. For example, it has been found that there is a connection to mind-wandering around mindfulness and creativity—and the possibility of using mindfulness to support deliberative mind-wandering (vs. spontaneous mind-wandering) toward expanded creativity in learning. It is nuanced in that some of us need more structure in defining the how and when of our mind-wandering while others of us do better with less of that structure. It is also important to consider context. Every person's situation is different. This is why it is important to consider context, experiment with a variety of different activities, and timeframes to find the right balance for you.

Being in a state of mndfulness is a place of rest and control from wandering thoughts. One can achieve far more in this state.

En mi opinión yo agregaría incorporar la atención plena en actividades diarias, como caminar o comer, sintonizando tus sentidos y sumergiéndote completamente en la experiencia. No solo esperar a que llegué la hora del proceso creativo, también es normal que las ideas surjan cuando menos lo esperes, la creatividad no es un botón que puedes apagar o prender, si sigues ejercitando este enfoque consciente nutrirá la creatividad al despejar la mente de distracciones y permites que surjan las ideas innovadoras de manera más natural.

This is a confrontational question that I’m being asked to answer!But here goes,the biggest hindrance in practicing mindfulness for me have been- overthinking and perfectionism.For instance, while writing,I sometimes used to get stuck re-editing over and over again,unable to move forward because I haven’t gotten it just right, yet. Similarly, overthinking can really stifle the flow of ideas and creativity if we are stuck in a loop of following our thoughts endlessly. Having said that,I’ve overcome it almost completely by practicing mindfulness outside of work and in my daily life.This conscious decision really had a trickle down effect and seeped into all spheres of my life because I was mindful of what needed to change overall

Overcome challenges of mindfulness by first realizing that what works for one may not work for all so give yourself a break. Understand that this is a journey and all along the way you will discover more about who you are as you move forward with what works and leave behind what does not. This is the art of collaborating with your heart, soul and mind. It is a moment of Zen and from it you will give birth to what you were intended to create. Be patient. It is an intentional practice that is adhered to consistently but in the absence of limiting guidelines. It is a delicate balance and dance that considers other nuances and contexts. Explore!