In an economy based on creativity and idea generation, it is up to you to keep your greatest assets--your awareness and creativity--nourished, fine-tuned, and ready at hand. The problems of a complex, dynamic, and rapidly shifting world are rarely resolved with analysis alone. Instead, leaders need fresh ideas.
To supply them, you must invest in your personal creativity.
How, you might ask, does a person do that? Let’s draw an analogy from how corporations create new products. Just as they budget for the systematic, in-house pursuit of knowledge found via Research and Development, individuals need a similar strategy. I call it "Creative R&D."
To stay "fit" for creativity, you need time for reflection and renewal. Dancers and athletes stretch. Singers perform their scales. Musicians practice their instrument. Today, we’re all creators--and creativity requires regular practice.
To read the original article: Making The Most Of Your Creative R&D Time | Fast Company