by Heidi DoerfertEven if we are a team of accountants? Yes! No matter the industry, whether you crunch numbers, work in education, sell cosmetics or develop life-saving pharmaceuticals (and we’ve hosted events for all of these types of companies), incorporating a creative mindset into your company culture reaps benefits!

Research has long shown that creativity has a profound effect on the mind and body but in today’s diverse work landscape – with a combination of remote, hybrid and global teams, it’s more critical than ever to encourage creativity, spark imagination, make meaningful connections and provide opportunities for your staff to take care of their own mental and emotional wellbeing.

Think about how you feel when you’re doing an activity you really enjoy like a bike ride, gardening, cooking a new recipe, or a home project. When we immerse ourselves in a pleasurable task or pursuit, we ‘get in the zone.’ This laser focus allows other outside stressors to fall away and we find our flow. According to verywellmind.com, “People who experience flow report higher levels of creativity, productivity, and happiness.”

So, how can you foster a creative environment in your workplace? At Dragonfly Designs, creativity is our business! We’ve come up with a few easy ways for your team to reduce stress and encourage personal expression right now:

Put Pen to Paper

Remember doodling in your notebook while your teacher lectured?

Keep paper, colored pencils and coloring pages on your desk. Take 5 -10 minute breaks throughout the day to sketch/color. Keep it simple. It’s not about perfection, it’s about shifting your focus!

Theme Days

Wacky Hat and 80s Days aren’t just for middle schoolers! Theme days allow teams to be silly, creative and bond on a casual level. It’s hard to have a bad day when Bob from Accounting is wearing a Dr. Seuss hat in that video conference!

Coloring

Ah, the joyful anticipation of opening a new coloring book and deciding which picture to color in first! It’s not just for kids. Adults who color feel less anxiety because it induces a meditative state.

Free Coloring Pages

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Virtual Watercooler

We’re a largely remote team here at Dragonfly Designs. We’ve created a “watercooler” channel on Slack. This is a fun space where staff can share photos of their pets, talk about what they did over the weekend, and share an amusing GIF! It helps us connect on a social level even though we are all located across the country (and the globe)!

Host a Creative Event

Turn off their work brain and turn on their creative side! Your team will love connecting over a common creative goal and will be amazed at what they can make. The benefits of a group artistic experience are many:

• Reduce Stress
• Spark Imagination
• Increase Joy
• Bond With Team
• Feel Positive About Company
• Encourage Teamwork
• Build Trust

“Creativity is a meeting with yourself.”- Jill Badonsky, Author/Illustrator, Creativity Coach

Even if you think you aren’t the artistic type, we are ALL wired for creativity! The key is finding out which type of creative activities really get you in the zone! We hope you’re inspired to incorporate creativity and self-care into your daily company culture. It benefits not only the whole team but each individual team member. Happy Creating!