What We're Reading Now

Creative Activity

1 September 2015

Geof came across a fascinating study during one of his regular internet searches for creativity and innovation, Benefiting from creative activity: The positive relationships between creative activity, recovery experiences, and job-performance-related outcomes by Kevin J. Eschleman, Jamie Madsen, Gene Alarcon, and Alex Barelka. 

Tags: creativity, geof read

The unofficial end of summer is less than a week away with Labor Day’s bookend to Memorials Day's vacation time. For many of us the end of summer also marks the end of “recovery” time until next year. While we may not be able to take a vacation until next summer, research points out that recovery is something we need throughout the year, and at different times. What if, in addition to recovery, you could enhance your job performance at the same time?

In their study Benefiting from creative activity: The positive relationships between creative activity, recovery experiences, and job-performance-related outcomes Kevin J. Eschleman, Jamie Madsen, Gene Alarcon, and Alex Barelka found that employees that engage in creative recovery activities also have the added benefit of enhancing their job performance.

Beyond vacation, how do you recharge or encourage your team to recharge? What activities help you and your team recover after a big project? The research outlined the traditional recovery methods that allowed for mastery, control, detachment, and relaxation, but also examined the benefits of creative activities. The findings showed that creative recovery activities also enhanced employees’ ability to solve problems and help others while at work.

So, if you need to recharge after a big project, but can’t take a vacation, think of incorporating a creative activity. For example, in addition to professional development workshops and seminars consider non-work related activities such as creative writing, arts programs, and sports that will positively challenge and teach you something new. 

If you’re trying to encourage your team to recharge consider supporting their creative pursuits. Perhaps offering stipends for art stores or creative writing courses. (After all, many organizations offer employee reimbursements for gym memberships and 401K matches.) In addition to an energized team the activities will also teach transferable problem solving skills.

In an interview with Science Daily, researcher and study author Kevin Eschleman said that “employers can encourage their employees to engage in more creative activities outside work, but the encouragement has to strike the right tone. One of the main concerns is that you don't want to have someone feel like their organization is controlling them, especially when it comes to creative activities because intrinsic motivation is part of that unique experience that comes with creative activity."

What creative pursuits do you choose to recover and recharge? We’d love to hear from you!

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