The Manifesto for Slow Creativity:
1. Focus on direction, not destination
Immerse yourself completely in the journey and you will reach your final goal gradually.
2. Raise your hand
Asking questions is a fundamental human right.
3. Learn at your own pace
Find your rhythm, find your flow. Don’t compare yourself to others.
4. Unplug
You have the right to disconnect and move your attention toward what’s essential. Learn unplugged, far away from digital distractions.
5. Change your learning path (and mind)
Don’t get too comfortable in the habit zone and start with changing the aversion to change. Think differently and learn new things.
6. Take a break
Micro-breaks, lunch breaks, and longer breaks will all improve your learning performance. You have the right to rest.
7. Make mistakes
Don’t fall into despair but Fail Forward.
8. Leave it unfinished
We live in a super busy, multi-tasking, results-oriented society. Step away from your long to-do list and enjoy once in a while the beauty of an unstructured day.
9. Unlearn and forget
Harness the power of unlearning. Reboot your mind, abandon old knowledge, actions, and behaviors to create space.
10. Slow down
Sometimes slow and steady will win the learning race. Make haste slowly.
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If you have to guess, would you say that this manifesto is for creativity?
If you think it is, you are right and wrong at the same time.
Actually, this is the Manifesto for Slow Learning, a project made by 15 authors, artists, and teachers. Together they created this “bill of rights” for the slow learner.
Curiously enough, many -if not all- work perfectly for creativity, too. In other words, creativity needs time.
If you are always in a rush to do your work, learning, problem-solving, or whatever you need to do, chances are that you will or already having a hard time thinking creatively.
When you take the time to learn something slowly, you’re more likely to develop a deeper understanding. Instead of rushing through concepts and memorizing information, you have the opportunity to explore ideas more thoroughly, ask questions, and make connections between different topics.
Do you have in your daily routine a time to slow down, reflect, rest, and/or do nothing? How do you feel when you do it?