6 Proven Benefits of Being More Imaginative

Embracing your imagination doesn’t mean you need to invest in crayons and paste again (although you could!). You can incorporate simple, imaginative activities into your everyday life. Cook a meal. Doodle. Sing a made-up song. Even observing art at a museum or reading a novel can spark your imagination and improve your life, according to scientific studies. Here are six real benefits of being more imaginative.

1. ENHANCE YOUR PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS.

Being imaginative in your leisure time can also help you overcome obstacles at work. You will be able to look at challenges in new ways and come up with resourceful solutions to conflicts. By setting aside time to focus on developing your imagination outside the office, it can be a strong tool in potentially addressing workday challenges.

2. PRESERVE YOUR MEMORY.

According to a recent neurological study, being imaginative creates more neurons in your brain. If you continue to utilize your imagination later in life, you are 73 percent less likely to develop the memory problems that lead to dementia.

3. IMPROVE YOUR SOCIAL INTERACTIONS.

If you can put yourself in someone else’s shoes and imagine what it’s like to be them, you are more likely to empathize with where they are coming from. You are more observant, more collaborative, and less combative if you can come up with inspired ideas to cope with conflicts.

4. PIQUE YOUR CURIOSITY.

Disassociating from reality allows you to imagine the possibilities. You’ll want to explore and investigate promising outcomes, both already in your life and outside of it, acquiring more knowledge and skills along the way.

5. SAVE MONEY.

You could order delivery for dinner, or you could open your cabinets and make a game out of preparing a delicious meal from what you already have. Or instead of buying a scarf, you could make it yourself. Being imaginative makes you more resourceful and can help you consume less.

6. DEVELOP SELF-CONFIDENCE.

Allowing yourself to exercise your imagination, judgment-free, helps you appreciate your skills and instincts. This means you’ll be more likely to trust your thoughts and feelings in other areas of your life. And if you can imagine how scenarios will play out, you are more likely to make decisions that are beneficial to your overall well-being.