Let’s face it. Life can be boring. You get up, go to your boring job, punch some keys and stare at a screen for 8 hours, then go home. Maybe you go to the gym if you’re not too tired. Then you go home and eat your boring tasteless dinner because you’re too tired and hungry to put that much effort into making it, then you go to bed early so you can get up and do it all over again. You long to have fun on the weekend. Your life seems a little too gray and dull, and it’s killing your creativity. Your tasks at work are too linear and logical, and you feel you’re not exercising enough of the creative right side of your brain. This happens to a lot of us these days, so don’t panic. You just have to relax and make time for creative thoughts, activities and conversations. Here are 55 ways to boost your creativity and spark the right side of your brain.

Healthy Body, Healthy Mind

1. Relax – ridding your body of stress can help you think more clearly

2. Stretch – releases stress and relaxes muscles

3. Take deep breaths – deep breaths can help more oxygen flow to your brain allowing clear mind

4. Close your eyes – removing distractions from your view can clear your head

5. Lie down – allows oxygen and blood to flow freely through your body, allows balance of weight

6. Get in the water – water is said to relax us and make us feel at home, as we are 70% water. Get in the shower, bathtub, pool, jacuzzi, lake, river, ocean, whatever.

7. Get a massage – relaxes body and mind and reduces stress

8. Get sexual release – sexual stimulation releases endorphins that increase brain function and happiness

9. Exercise – exercising your body increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain and releases endorphins

10. Eat a healthy meal – you are what you eat, so feed your body and your mind something healthy

11. Get some sleep – enough sleep can keep your mind and body functioning properly

Get in the Right Environment

12. Go somewhere quiet – a quiet place allows for a quiet mind

13. Stare at the stars – this often inhibits “universal” or “big picture” thoughts

14. Go outside – fresh air and nature are good for the mind

15. Go somewhere high altitude with a view – seeing things from a different perspective (literally) opens up new ideas

16. Go camping – nature and solitude are often the best cure for a busy mind

17. Light candles – candles can help set the mood for relaxation

18. Sit by a campfire – for some reason, fire is still as mesmerizing as it probably was for cavemen

19. Swim in the ocean – the ocean is a grand mystery which can often inhibit thoughts about life itself

20. Surround yourself with bright colors – bright colors inhibit creativity

21. Sit in the dark – with nothing in your sights, it’s just you and your thoughts

Think Differently

22. Open your mind – rethink everything you know about society, history, politics, religion, the universe, etc.

23. Challenge yourself – remove any fears, self-doubt or disbeliefs you may have about yourself and try to break the limitations of your mind

24. Daydream – imagine yourself in a totally different life. Where would you be? Who would you be?

25. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes – imagine what other people’s lives must be like that are different from your own

26. Imagine the past and the future – imagine what life was like for your elders and imagine what it will be like for your great grandchildren

27. Think of new business or app ideas – come up with ideas that people would pay a lot of money for some day

28 Think of a concept for a new movie, show, book or song

29. Think of fun and creative date ideas for you and your significant other

30. Think of fun and creative activities to do with your kids that they’ll actually enjoy

31. Think of something new to do with your friends and try to convince them to do it with you

Do Something Different

32. Do something new – do something you have always dreamed of, or something you’ve never even thought of

33. Listen to music you don’t normally listen to

34. Drink a little alcohol – alcohol inhibits confidence and creativity, but not too much

35. Do some drugs – nothing makes you more creative than drug stimulants or hallucinogens

36. Draw something with a pen or pencil and paper

37. Paint something – paint on a canvas, paint your house a different color, or paint a mural on a wall

38. DIY crafts – make something out of yarn wool, wood, clay, plastic, glass, dirt, sand, whatever

39. Write about something or someone – dig into your thoughts about a particular subject or person and jot them down

40. Write a poem – try writing something poetic using rhymes

41. Write a song – try adding a melody to your poem and turn it into a song

42. Play a board game or video – games are a great way to spark creative thinking

43. Play charades – this game requires you to use clues and imagination

44. Watch documentaries about random topics

Learn Something New

45. Learn how to design – take Photoshop courses online or read a book on interior design

46. Learn how to dance – watch dance videos on YouTube or take paid dancing lessons

47. Learn to rap or to sing – try learning on your own through repetition or hire a coach

48. Learn to act – attend an acting school, hire a coach or try learning on your own

49. Study the arts – the most creative people understand the history of various forms of art and how to interpret art pieces

50. Learn a new language – learning a new language that you’ve always wanted to learn

51. Learn about different cultures – learn about cultures around the world

52. Study a new religion – study the philosophies and testaments of other religions

Make New Friends

53. Meet new people who are very different from you

54. Keep diversity within your circle – make friends with people of various different backgrounds, lifestyles, religions, political beliefs, etc.

55. Talk to a homeless person – although this can be scary to some, the homeless are sometimes the most enlightened