When the creative juices really aren’t flowing, it’s easy to get frustrated, and fall deep into a pit of unproductive behaviour – like diving headfirst into a YouTube rabbit-hole. Whilst many of us might be able to combat feeling completely uninspired in the workplace by getting on with something a little more linear, for those with more creative and artistic jobs, an unimaginative funk can really ruin a whole day.

Here’s our top three tips for upping those imaginative vibes – without even having to leave your desk.

1) BLUE IS THE HUE

A study by the University of British Columbia revealed that looking at the colour blue can encourage people to think outside the box and be more creative, thanks to its associations with the sky and ocean. Tracking the performance of over 600 participants, in six different cognitive tasks, on computers with screens that were either red, white, or blue, the results showed that for creative tasks like brainstorming, the influence of blue environmental cues produced twice as many creative outputs as red.

Encouraging invention, imagination, and creative thinking, it’s the hue to have around when your mind feels foggy. How about writing on blue paper? Or putting a blue poster next to your computer?

2) THE ROOT TO SUCCESS

Everybody knows that being in nature is a sure-fire way to boost your creativity – but what if getting out of the office isn’t always an option? A study conducted by Texas A&M University reported that employees who work in environments with natural elements report a 15% higher level of well being, are 6% more productive and 15% more creative than those who don’t. Especially acknowledged for their effect on one’s ‘visual’ creativity, plants are a workplace must-have for artists and designers.

House plants are easy and rewarding to look after, and can be the ideal desk companion. Worried you might forget to water it? Choose a succulent or a cactus – those guys are pretty hardy!

4) TURN ON SOME TUNES

Add Vivaldi’s Four Seasons to your playlist immediately – a 2017 report shows that listening to happy, classical music enhances creativity, with Vivaldi’s classical concerti coming out on top as the ultimate winner for getting your imagination bubbling. Enhancing flexibility in our thinking, and giving a boost to our overall mental wellbeing, listening to music encourages creativity much more than a silent workspace.

Don’t fancy having your headphones in? How about suggesting playing music on a speaker out loud in the office? The volume doesn;t have to be high, and it could have a really positive impact on your environment – with a Totaljobs study finding that 59% of people who listen to music at work feel that it improves their mental wellbeing, and overall mood.