Is Creativity Good For Your Health?

tidbits that tantalizeBe Creative in Everyday Tasks...

Now there's proof - drudgery is not only, well, miserable, but it's also bad for your health.

Researchers form the University of Texas analyzed data from the telephone surveys of over 2,500 people in the 1990s. The surveys focused on the health of respondents, as well as their daily work routine, including their opportunity to be creative in their work.

The results indicate that creativity has many health benefits.

"The most important finding is that creative activity helps people stay healthy," said lead author John Mirowsky, a sociology professor with the Population Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin. "Creative activity is non-routine, enjoyable and provides opportunity for learning and for solving problems. People who do that kind of work, whether paid or not, feel healthier and have fewer physical problems."

The researchers also found that people who are employed, in general, are healthier than those who are not employed. This holds true regardless of the level of creativity involved in their work.

But, employed or not, the key appears to be the simple creative process. It adds enjoyment and mental challenge to our lives and, if the current study is accurate, may also add healthy years.

You know what to do. That's right - use you're your brain. Think of new ways to do things. Shake up your routine. Find some new things to explore - write, paint, craft, doodle...

Ah - you're looking healthier already...

To read more about the study, see this from ScienceDaily. To read more about living a creative life, see this from CreativityForLife.com.