When was the last time you closed your laptop and mobile phone and just took off to an unknown destination? When was the last time you rescheduled your meetings just so you could take a few days or weeks off to travel to a place you’ve never been before? We always think travel is a luxury, but what if it is a necessity? Especially if you work in the creative field. Hard to believe but it’s actually true.
Travel And You Shall Know It
It’s very tedious to plan for a trip, from the expenses to planning out what to wear and everything in between. But is it worth it? A thousand times YES! It’s not just the new places you will visit. But rather the entire experience starting from plugging in your earphones and boarding the flight to relaxing by the beach, all of it is bound to rejuvenate your mind.
In the simplest terms, creativity means coming up with something new. But how do you plan to come up with something new every time when you bound yourself to the four walls of your office or house? True, in the era of the internet, one Google search can give you countless creative inspirations. But can they ever equate to the array of emotions that you experience when you actually live in that moment? Obviously, the answer is no.
Travel And Creativity Shall Follow:
It’s understandable for people to hold back on travel because of many things. But the important question to ask here is whether you are holding back because you really can’t afford it or because you think it’s not important.
Ways in which travelling helps in igniting your creative spark are:
- Experiencing A Different Way of Life:
You know the saying, “You live and learn something new every day”, that is especially true when you are travelling. From the way the people live there to their food and culture, everything is a little different or very different from the way you are used to. This will surely help you broaden your knowledge and awareness about the different ways in which life can be led. All of these experiences will surely help you get your creative juices flowing.
- Taking The Time Off:
The advice that is mostly given to people suffering from a creative block is to take a break. The reason behind this is that once you remove yourself from the situation far enough you will be able to see it from a different angle. Another angle will probably lead to another solution. What better way to spend your time off than going on a vacation or a weekend gateway?
- Learn While You Travel:
Probably the best lessons you will learn while on vacation are the ones you will learn while you’re travelling than when you have reached the location. How to converse with the locals to ask for directions or just to ask which is the freshest batch of tangerines? How to pack less and still kill every look? How to get the best deals from travel to souvenirs globally? There is so much to learn en route to your destination. And trust us, these lessons are truly valuable.
Afterword
According to a study conducted in 2009, not only travelling abroad temporarily but also living there for an extended period of time is associated with increased creative performance. Another study conducted in 2014 suggests that recreational travel does impact one’s cognitive flexibility, i.e., your ability to think about multiple concepts simultaneously, positively. Travelling may seem like a luxury but honestly, there are many ways to make it budget-friendly. And sometimes you don’t necessarily need to travel very far from home. A short trip to a nearby place is just as refreshing. So, ask yourself, why exactly am I stopping myself from travelling?
