Four Ways Neurodivergent Thinking Boosts Creativity

Techniques to Enhance Your Divergent Thinking for Greater Creativity

Incorporating Guilford’s model—fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration—into our creative routines can lead to remarkable breakthroughs.

As a neurodivergent person, I know I think differently, but I haven’t always come to think of myself as creative.  In fact, I used to express surprise and confusion as to why two of my three adult children are highly creative, even speculating about recessive genes that “skipped a generation”.  But the reality is this, I AM a creative person, I am just not an artist.  

Something I have come to understand and appreciate is that divergent thinking (the kind of thinking that a neurodivergent person has…) is fundamentally creative in nature, and this is not a new concept.  I recently came across the work of an American psychologist, JP Guilford, whose published research in the 1950s centered on divergent thinking as creativity. 

Understanding Divergent and Convergent Thinking

I want to introduce you to the work of JP Guilford, whose four key components of divergent thinking are fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration. Divergent thinking involves generating a plethora of ideas or solutions, in contrast to convergent thinking, which hones in on a single correct solution.

This understanding is crucial because many of us, especially adult female entrepreneurs with ADHD can thrive because of our divergent thinking. It’s where our creativity and innovation often takes flight. However, to truly harness this power, we need structured techniques to enhance these divergent thinking traits.

Techniques to Enhance Divergent Thinking

Brainstorming and Mind Mapping

One of the effective techniques I use in my coaching business is brainstorming. This can be done solo or in a group setting. The idea is to generate as many ideas as possible without immediate judgment or evaluation. Let your thoughts flow freely and make room for even the wildest ideas. Supplement this practice with mind mapping software, which helps visualize connections between ideas and further spurs creative thinking.

Journaling for Fluency

Journaling is another technique I highly recommend. By writing down our thoughts daily, we can enhance our ability to articulate more ideas—an aspect Guilford refers to as "fluency." The more we practice putting our thoughts into words, the better we get at generating new concepts and perspectives.

Perspective Shifting for Flexibility

To develop our flexibility in creative thinking, we need to challenge our assumptions and see things from different angles. Role-playing and stepping into someone else's shoes can significantly help in viewing our problems and opportunities through varied lenses—an exercise that strengthens our mental flexibility.

Fostering Originality

Originality often requires taking risks and being comfortable with impulsivity—traits many of us with ADHD know well. Here are my favorite techniques to enhance original thinking:

Free Writing: Allowing our thoughts to spill onto a page without any restrictions.

Creative Constraints: Setting boundaries to challenge our usual way of thinking.

New Experiences: Stepping out of our comfort zones to inspire new ideas.

Elaborative Outlining: Developing our ideas incrementally, adding layers and details as we go.

The Importance of Downtime

A point that cannot be overstressed is the importance of rest. The mind needs time to process and integrate information. Structured downtime is vital for consolidating learning and fostering mental and emotional rejuvenation. If, like many, you suffer from toxic productivity during the day and revenge bedtime procrastination at night, it's time to break the vicious cycle. Scheduled relaxation can upgrade our creativity by leaps and bounds.

Building a Supportive Environment

To further our creative endeavors, we should create a stimulating work environment filled with inspiring materials that spark curiosity. Building strong connections with like-minded individuals and engaging in collaborative creative activities can amplify our potential. Moreover, techniques like mindfulness and meditation can manage distractions and refine our ideas.

Commitment to Enhancing Creativity

Incorporating Guilford’s model—fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration—into our creative routines can lead to remarkable breakthroughs. Whether it's adopting brainstorming sessions, maintaining a daily journal, shifting perspectives, or engaging in free writing, every small step counts. Remember, we don't have to do everything at once. Incremental steps coupled with feedback from peers can guide us in our creative journey.

Remember, embracing nonlinear thinking, following tangential ideas, and discussing them with peers can lead to unexpected solutions. So, let's make time for those tangents and see where they take us!

Feel free to DM me on LinkedIn or Instagram @coachdiannwingert or send me an email at diann@diannwingertcoaching.com. I'd love to hear your thoughts! If you'd like to hear the full episode on The Driven Woman Entrepreneur Podcast, you can do that here.