Creativity is not just art and music it is an essential component for optimal productivity and success. Luckily it can be trained just like working out your muscles in the gym. Here’s some tips with key habits to strengthen your creativity:

1. Put time aside to write

Dedicate a set amount every morning to writing. Make it timed (15 minutes) or an amount (three journal pages). Write about anything or nothing, for example you can write about your dreams/ aspirations, about your goals, of even gratitude.

2. Turn off noisy chatter and meditate.

The practice of focusing on nothing helps relax your brain (and body!). We are on the go all day long. A short, intentional pause gives you permission to stop, even if it's only five minutes. Free from distractions and visual stimuli, your mind can wander and make room for creative ideas to come to the surface. Make time to breathe properly. Everytime you find yourself with no solution in sight, stop and inhale as you count to four, hold the air in for four seconds and then breathe it out while counting to six. Do this routine a few times, when needed.

3. Pay attention to -- and record -- new ideas that come to you.

As people age, the number of creative ideas that come to them doesn’t necessarily slow, but they tend to capture fewer of them. When an idea -- or a small component of an idea -- comes to you, start making it a point to preserve it. Jot it down in a smartphone note, write it in a pocket-sized notebook you carry around or sketch it on a napkin. 

4. Play brain games to get your wheels turning.

Brain teasers are thought to help with mental acuity and stave off aging. But logic puzzles also get your brain thinking in other ways. Distracting yourself with a different kind of problem is another way to refresh your thinking. It works well if you hit a creative roadblock in your day-to-day tasks, stepping away to play a card or memory game helps me recharge and often will help me generate new ideas.