Why Out-Of-The-Box Thinking Is Good For You
Many of us will have heard the term “thinking out-of-the-box.”. At its most basic, the term means thinking creatively and considering various solutions to a particular situation, such as a VR escape room. It can require a bit of mental effort, but it’s time and energy well-spent.
Let’s find out why out-of-the-box thinking is good for you.
You’ll Adapt More Easily
One of the greatest benefits of thinking innovatively is that is teaches us to adapt more easily to the unexpected situations life throws at us. Writing for Psychology Today, Holly White, Ph.D., explained that thinking out-of-the-box is original, and that it highlights change rather than the status quo.
Embracing small changes is one of the keys to stimulating your ability to think creatively. Dr White recommended questioning assumptions about every day and other situations, breaking various habits by doing things differently, and multitasking (especially if you work from home) as ways to “stretch your creative muscles”. Becoming more adaptable means you’ll become better at coping with life’s surprises and challenges.
Solve Problems Creatively
Out-of-the-box thinking can help you develop your ability to solve problems creatively, and that’s not limited to the puzzles in an Omescape escape room in London. You’ll take that ability into various areas of your life, from home to the office and beyond.
In an article for Entrepreneur, Timothy Sykes explained how creative thinking can benefit your career. He wrote that, by thinking inside the box, you’ll see only a finite number of ways of doing things – and that’s an outlook that could see you impose limits on yourself when it comes to what you can achieve.
When you think out-of-the-box, you’ll find previously ways of doing things that never occurred to you before. You’ll find more solutions to problems, and you’ll see a greater number of opportunities and possibilities.
Drive Improvement And Innovation
Thinking inside the box implies acceptance of the status quo, and while that occasionally may be a good thing, if it were accepted by everyone all the time, we would never see any improvement or innovation. According to Sykes, seeing situations as unchangeable leads to stagnation.
However, if you think creatively and question or challenge the status quo, you’ll actively think of ways in which you can improve experiences, ways of doing things, products, and services. This, in turn, can lead to personal and professional growth.
Stand Out From The Crowd
According to psychologist John Leach, his research into human responses to emergency situation resulted in him developing the 10/80/10 rule of survival. He found that 10% of people faced with a crisis bring their fears under control and can act rationally, while 80% felt shocked and unprepared in their responses. The remaining 10% felt overwhelmed and couldn’t cope with the circumstances.
The adaptability, improved problem-solving skills, and innovative drive that comes with thinking out-of-the-box can help place you among the first 10%.
By keeping your cool when almost 90% of others are losing theirs, you will stand out from the crowd. After all, as Sykes reminded us in his article, one of Apple Inc.’s founding principles was “Think different” and we all know how well that worked for them!