The Mental Well-being and Creativity Connection

As we navigate Mental Well-being Month, I've noticed an abundance of advice flooding our social feeds and inboxes. While many solutions are being shared, I want to focus on what we've discovered through years of working with both corporate teams and individual clients: creativity isn't just a nice-to-have skill—it's a fundamental tool for mental well-being.

The unexpected connection

When organisations reach out to us, they're typically focused on business challenges:

•  "How do we spark innovation in our teams?"
• "Why are our people resistant to new technologies?"
• "How can we break down silos between departments?"
• "What's holding back our team's initiative and autonomy?"

What consistently amazes me is how addressing these challenges through creativity unleashes something far more valuable than just business solutions.

Beyond business results

Take Charl van Staden's team at Merchant Captial, a specialised financial services company. Merchant Capital initially engaged us to develop the leadership skills of their talented middle-tier managers and to enhance cross-departmental collaboration. The business results were impressive—including the implementation of an internal collaboration platrform. But the human impact was profound. As Charl shared,

“At the start of the programme, I wasn't in the greatest space. Our team was under a lot of pressure, and I wasn't keen to make the time sacrifice. But right from the first session, I saw the benefits of the time invested in the programme. Our team had been pulling in different directions, and we've learned how to innovate together, and work toward a common goal. We collaborated on a new workflow system and managed, for the first time, to submit our monthly compliance certificates ahead of schedule. We've now developed a system where we can tick off tasks as we go.

I've learned to have tough conversations. The techniques I've gained helped me face discussions with team members that I'd been avoiding. These conversations helped manage expectations and actually brought relationships into better alignment afterward. I know I'm going to use these skills throughout my career.

The programme also helped with self-care. At the beginning, my self-care was at a low point. I decided to implement what I learned at home. I shared the resources from our training with my wife, and now she's hooked too. The new habits we've created have also had a ripple effect on our son. I'll still be doing this when I'm eighty!” 

^{Nina Pearse, Director of Creativity Wake-Up, presenting at Merchant Capital} 

The science behind it 

Research consistently shows the benefits of creative thinking. In the workplace, creativity does more than drive innovation. The Harvard Business School's Progress Principle study revealed that creative engagement leads to higher job satisfaction and improved team collaboration, while reducing workplace stress (Amabile & Kramer, 2011).  

Perhaps most interesting for our daily lives is research published in The Journal of Positive Psychology, which found that everyday creative activities - from problem-solving at work to trying new recipes at home - contribute to increased positive emotion, greater sense of purpose, and enhanced psychological flexibility (Conner et al., 2018).    

"But I'm not creative!"

I hear this all the time, and I'm here to tell you: that's simply not true. Creativity isn't just about painting masterpieces or writing novels. It shows up in how you:

• Organise your workspace
• Handle challenging conversations
• Solve everyday problems
• Deal with unexpected circumstances

Practical creativity boosters for mental well-being

So what are some of the practical tools we shared with Charl and his team that helped to make the well-being changes in his and his families' lives?

1. Morning Pages

Start your day with stream-of-consciousness writing. Don't edit, don't judge—just let your thoughts flow. As Julia Cameron explains in "The Artist's Way," this practice helps clear mental clutter and reduce anxiety. More about Morning Pages.

2. Tinker Time

Schedule weekly solo adventures to feed your creative spirit. Visit a craft store, explore a new neighbourhood, browse through a bookstore (with no requirement to buy a gift), attend a local theatre production, organise your bookshelves or visit a garden nursery . The key is to approach it with childlike curiosity. Ideas for your Tinker Time.

3. Mindful Walking

Take walks without your phone. Notice colours, textures, and sounds. Let your mind wander—some of our clients' best ideas have arisen during these walks. 

4. Build a simple, powerful morning routine

The way we start our day, sets us up for success through the day. The way to change our life is to change our small daily habits. Watch this short video by Mel Robbins on ideas to create a simple, powerful morning routine.

5. Unlock your brain's potential

We love brain-coach, Jim Kwik's, simple, practical tips to unlocking our brain's full potential. Learn about the importance of good brain food, keeping a positive peer group and life-long learning. Our brains make new brain matter every day (neurogenesis), so we have the opportunity to mould and develop our minds in new ways. Find Jim's ten top tips in this short video.

 Getting started

Remember, developing creativity for mental well-being isn't about perfection—it's about process. Start small, stay curious, and most importantly, make it personal. Your creative journey might look different from others, and that's exactly as it should be.

Want to explore how creativity can transform your team's well-being and performance? Let's connect. Contact us at [email protected]

 ^References

^{Amabile, T. M., & Kramer, S. J. (2011). "The Progress Principle"}

^{Conner, T. S., DeYoung, C. G., & Silvia, P. J. (2018). "Everyday Creative Activity as a Path to Flourishing"}