"Time, why you punish me?" These may just be lyrics from a Hootie & The Blowfish song from the 1990s, but they are quite appropriate to descriptions of time in relation to creativity. That is, there tend to be 2 main approaches to time & creativity in business, education, and general life.
The first main approach emphasizes that time serves as a hindrance to creativity. Artists do not just spend a set amount of time to come up with the idea for a masterpiece and create the masterpiece. Drawing, painting, music, etc.: innumerable masterpieces were created without a strict timeline in mind. Similarly, a large number of great brainstorming sessions do not require set time limits, defined schedules, or strictly defined actions & activities. Rather, brainstorming sessions (for marketing, management, event planning, etc.) flow due to a lack of rigidity and structure.
On the other hand, the second main approach emphasizes that efficient and effective creativity flows from consistency and defined schedules/time limits. With timed goals and organized actions/activities, people (business professionals, politicians, students, families, etc.) stay focused on the task(s) at hand and successfully come up with excellent ideas and plans. With a time limit, abstract thoughts become concrete action. With defined limitations such as 140 characters on Twitter or 14 seconds on Mike & Mike in the Morning on ESPN Radio, people overcome tendencies of being scatterbrained and thoughts become simple, focused, and easily understandable.
Oftentimes in society and business, people believe, practice, and preach a 'one way or the other' approach. Thus, either they believe in no time limits or all time limits. So, which way is the right way?
In actuality, a good answer would come from a college professor of mine, who said that, in business and accounting, oftentimes the correct answer is: "It depends." In actuality, both approaches are practical and reasonable; both approaches can be conducive to creativity. At times, freedom is the greatest ally of creativity--terms and outcomes such as "outside the box", new age, and revolutionary are the result of an open field, open task, and open rules. At other times--or even simultaneously--set time limits and defined activities lead to effectiveness, efficiency, and groundbreaking outcomes.
How should people decide what approach to take? Concepts such as individual personalities, goals, tasks, organizational structure, organization culture, and group dynamics play roles in determining appropriate approaches towards creativity and coming up with good ideas and plans. In actuality, the same groups of people could benefit from both approaches at different times and together. A songwriter could identify a time limit, such as 1-3 hours, for writing his/her next song. In another instance, he/she could be inspired by a personal event and take an open-ended amount of time to reflect and come up with the words for his/her next song.
In the end, time can limit creativity, but time can also help creativity. Time--whether unlimited or defined--does not have to be punishing. Time--whether unlimited or defined--should be used in the best way possible in order to achieve whatever individual, group, team, or organizational goals & tasks are at hand.
The first main approach emphasizes that time serves as a hindrance to creativity. Artists do not just spend a set amount of time to come up with the idea for a masterpiece and create the masterpiece. Drawing, painting, music, etc.: innumerable masterpieces were created without a strict timeline in mind. Similarly, a large number of great brainstorming sessions do not require set time limits, defined schedules, or strictly defined actions & activities. Rather, brainstorming sessions (for marketing, management, event planning, etc.) flow due to a lack of rigidity and structure.
On the other hand, the second main approach emphasizes that efficient and effective creativity flows from consistency and defined schedules/time limits. With timed goals and organized actions/activities, people (business professionals, politicians, students, families, etc.) stay focused on the task(s) at hand and successfully come up with excellent ideas and plans. With a time limit, abstract thoughts become concrete action. With defined limitations such as 140 characters on Twitter or 14 seconds on Mike & Mike in the Morning on ESPN Radio, people overcome tendencies of being scatterbrained and thoughts become simple, focused, and easily understandable.
Oftentimes in society and business, people believe, practice, and preach a 'one way or the other' approach. Thus, either they believe in no time limits or all time limits. So, which way is the right way?
In actuality, a good answer would come from a college professor of mine, who said that, in business and accounting, oftentimes the correct answer is: "It depends." In actuality, both approaches are practical and reasonable; both approaches can be conducive to creativity. At times, freedom is the greatest ally of creativity--terms and outcomes such as "outside the box", new age, and revolutionary are the result of an open field, open task, and open rules. At other times--or even simultaneously--set time limits and defined activities lead to effectiveness, efficiency, and groundbreaking outcomes.
How should people decide what approach to take? Concepts such as individual personalities, goals, tasks, organizational structure, organization culture, and group dynamics play roles in determining appropriate approaches towards creativity and coming up with good ideas and plans. In actuality, the same groups of people could benefit from both approaches at different times and together. A songwriter could identify a time limit, such as 1-3 hours, for writing his/her next song. In another instance, he/she could be inspired by a personal event and take an open-ended amount of time to reflect and come up with the words for his/her next song.
In the end, time can limit creativity, but time can also help creativity. Time--whether unlimited or defined--does not have to be punishing. Time--whether unlimited or defined--should be used in the best way possible in order to achieve whatever individual, group, team, or organizational goals & tasks are at hand.