We all want to be more creative. Can altering our daily routine encourage the innovative parts of our mind to kick into higher gear? Click here for jobs that require a little creativity. A new interactive graphic by Podio (posted on Shortlist.com) offers some insight into the regular habits of 26 “creative legends,” including Maya Angelou, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Vladimir Nabokov and Pablo Picasso. Little about their routines overlapped, except that—surprise, surprise—the majority liked to sleep at night and engage in lengthy blocks of creative work during the day, even the ones with “regular” jobs. The biggest differences came with regard to exercise and eating/leisure: Whereas an artist like Picasso never bothered to work out, for example, others (including Charles Dickens and John Milton) spent a few hours each day keeping themselves in shape: 
What can we conclude from this little sampling? Reserving significant amounts of time for creative thinking (and doing) is an essential part of generating new ideas and work. Beyond that, it seems the best routine for creativity is whatever works for you, whether that means jotting thoughts in a journal, talking to others for inspiration or scheduling brainstorming sessions with colleagues. Creativity isn’t just for writers and painters—anyone with a need to get something done can benefit from a little original thinking.
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Images: Peshkova/Shutterstock.com, Podio
