writing

1

Mohammed Alqahtani

IAH206

Dr. Eileen Roraback

April 22, 2021

Reflective Essay

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted almost all aspects of our lives because of various health measures that have made it difficult for us to go to work or school, meet with friends, or go outdoors, affecting our mental well-being. However, that does not imply that we cannot have fun. Undertaking the final project of module IAH 206 made me realize that one can keep themselves busy and happy by engaging in various creative activities. According to the project requirements, students were supposed to participate in multiple experiments and try new things every week. We undertook three experiments named Tech Break, Bug List, and Group Game Creation for the final project. I enjoyed doing this project as it benefited my life in various ways, including positive health outcomes and improved problem-solving and creativity skills.

Technology Break Experiment

Under the Tech Break experiment, I was interested in investigating whether removing distractions can improve someone’s creativity. The first step was to identify my main technological distractions. I noted that I spend a lot of time on social media. In fact, I realized that whenever I found myself idle, I was always on different social media platforms. On the first day, I set a target to take a break from my social media for four straight hours and reflect on my life. However, it was not easy as I was distracted for the first 30 minutes. After one hour, I was exhausted and sleepy. I did not even complete two hours, as I found myself using my phone.

On the next day, I researched ways to improve my commitment to taking the technology break. I thought about leaving all my devices in the house and taking the technology break away from home, but it was not possible because of lockdowns. Additionally, I wanted to have better control over my use of social media and going outdoors felt like running away from my problems instead of confronting them. However, after 30 minutes, I received a call, and I answered; then, instead of returning the phone to the drawer, I logged into my Facebook profile without even knowing. I decided to set the phone on “Do Not Disturb” mode, which was the first step towards success. Kelley and Kelley’s advice (2013) relating to relaxed attention helped remove my focus on completing the task; in its place, I allowed my mind to wander into the unknown. This kind of creativity is based on psychoanalytic perspectives of personality approach to creativity whereby the focus is on the unconscious mind rather than the conscious one (Gardner, 2011). I was amazed at how I ended up thinking about many things and making plans for my future. The experiment was rewarding as I identified some of the things I wanted in life and even came up with ideas on how to achieve them. Without noticing, three hours had passed, and I had little interest in visiting social media platforms. This experience made me realize that I had always wanted to learn computer programing skills. Furthermore, this experiment made me realize that applying relaxed attention is vital for enhancing creativity.

In addition to creativity, I noted that taking technology breaks has numerous health benefits. First, evidence suggests that taking a social media break can improve an individual’s subjective well-being, and I experienced this feeling first-hand (Hanley et al., 2019). I wanted to “subtract” distractions and procrastination without success, but after applying the relaxed attention strategy, it was possible, resulting in positive life satisfaction (Tharp, 2009). I was glad that I had managed to perform something that seemed impossible. Most importantly, I used this opportunity to evaluate my life, giving me a sense of direction where I was heading. Other positive health benefits associated with taking a technology break that I enjoyed include enhanced present-moment awareness, improved sleep, deepened connections and increased productivity (Gomes, 2018). The above benefits are definitely vital for mental and general well-being.

Bug List Experiment

The Bug List experiment is another activity that helped improved my creativity by solving challenging problems. I have always hated proofreading my essays, but this experiment changed my perspective on the issue. While I tend to write good arguments, I have lost marks because of proofreading as I found the task boring, which amazes me even today. Nevertheless, I have received advice on how to improve my proofreading reading skills, such as reading text word by word aloud, but the problem persisted (Eby 2011). At the time, the other option I had was to have someone else read the essay for me, but that is not always possible since my friends might not have the time to check my paper. I have come to learn that many people find this task challenging and as they confess that they only run their paper through grammar checking software, which does not pick syntax and semantic errors. This observation explains why there are many online websites offering proofreading services. Giving someone else your paper to proofread is not bad, but I have learned that you should at least go through the essay by yourself.

My motivation to improve my proofreading skills was to avoid losing unnecessary marks. Furthermore, when I proofread my work alone, I spent much time, and I always found myself dozing off as I read through the paper. To increase speed, I used to peruse the essay instead of reading word by word, highlighting my struggles. These inconveniences bothered me, increasing my desire to make the process smoother. Therefore, I conducted detailed research on the issue by reading different articles on the issue. This effort had positive outcomes as I noted that Office 2019 and Microsoft 365 allowed users to proofread their work using a read-aloud feature. The only challenge with this solution is that I had access to Microsoft Office 2016, which did not support the above feature. Nevertheless, this felt like my Eureka moment as the personal research led to my discovery, but as Heavenridge (2015) posited, I realized that “knowledge is power but imagination is more valuable.” I realized that this approach was consistent with Kelley and Kelley’s (2013) design-driven innovation, and I undertook the first step to seek inspiration through research. I was motivated after I had identified a potential solution, and I ventured into the second step of sense-making, where I transferred what I learned from research into actionable frameworks and principles. From this experience, I realized the solution is to find free text-to-audio software.

At this stage, I had managed the hardest part as I had a solution and the next step was to identify the most appropriate option. This stage is what Kelley and Kelley (2013) referred to as ideation and experimentation. Unfortunately, I was disappointed to learn that there are few free text-to-audio software. I was happy to realize that I could achieve the same goal using Google Translate, whereby I could paste text on the search bar then ask the website to translate it into English. The experience was positive as it made proofreading interesting. I was encouraged by this solution as I could have someone else (Google Translate) read my work aloud as I listen, which was another positive. I adopted this solution and shared it with friends, making me proud. Soon after, I noted that Google Translate could only accept a limited length of the text, and one had to copy-paste to the website, but this discovery lifted my mood and commitment to learning programming skills. My aim was to gain programming skills so that I could develop a toolbar plugin for Microsoft Word that gives Office 2013 to 2016 inbuilt text-to-speech features to make proofreading more convenient. After finishing this experiment, I was confident that it would improve my proofreading skills and, at the same time, provide an opportunity to enhance my creativity.

Group-Based Creative Project

This project made me appreciate the role of teamwork in promoting creativity. Our group had used this experiment to create several origami animals together. Unlike in the past, we were disappointed because the pandemic prevented us from meeting physically, and we had to improvise and work via Zoom sessions. This strategy ensured that we had a safe way of interacting while not missing out on activities that sustain our creative lives. In the group project, we assigned each person an origami animal that they were supposed to create, then later walk us through the process via zoom sessions be realized that was not the best approach. On the positive side, we used the sessions to brainstorm different ideas, and we were learned from each other.

Over time, I realized that working in a group was one way that individual member can improve their creativity. I was determined to use this opportunity to learn new skills and ideas for creating complex origami animals. As I remembered Kelley and Kelley’s (2013) assertion that some innovations require teamwork with appropriate leadership and grassroots activism, I knew I would manage the group. I used this inspiration to build a creative team by creating creative confidence among key players and encouraging them to provide new ideas without being judgmental (Kelley & Kelley, 2013). This approach gave team members confidence as they proposed many ideas, some of which seemed unrealistic, but we managed after brainstorming. For instance, a person could suggest making an origami bird without having the complete idea of how to design the same, and another member could expound on the proposal with everyone contributing until we managed.

In addition to enhancing creativity, I believe this project had other lasting positive effects, such as improved leadership and teamwork skills. I had learned that to be a successful leader who spurs innovation, one has to be visionary and promote team cohesion (van der Voet & Steijn, 2020). As I review our first where we asked everyone to create their origami animals, I realize that we missed the opportunity to promote collaboration as everyone was interested in their specific assignments. However, after reading Kelley and Kelley’s (2013) advice on caring for my team, it helped me handle the situation better. I realized it is crucial to know each other’s strengths, encourage different viewpoints, get personal, maintain professional relationships, prepare the team experience in advance, and have fun. Today, I consider the project special as it made it possible to interact with colleagues, improving my moods as I had missed such moments because of the pandemic. Working in a team can be challenging, but I am glad that I undertook this project as I gained important skills in life relevant to employment and family roles.

Conclusion

As I reflect on the last few weeks, I believe that the delivery approach for this module helped me improve my problem-solving and creativity skills while contributing to my health outcomes positively. The experiments offered me opportunities to have fun and promote my well-being. Particularly, the technology break activity assisted me in overcoming social media addiction, which can have adverse health consequences such as mental health issues. Once I managed to control my technology usage, I improved my present-moment awareness, sleep habits, relationships, and productivity. Most importantly, I learned how to improve my creative thinking using the relaxed attention principle and meditation. The Bug List experiment was also essential as it sharped my problem-solving skills and improved my proofreading. Equally important is that this activity enhance my creative thinking as I used my research abilities and imaginations to develop solutions to my challenges. From the group-based project, I gained leadership and teamwork skills and also improved my creativity. The project lifted my mood as it made it possible for me to interact with friends virtually and have fun in the face of traveling and physical meeting restrictions. As I look back, I appreciate I had the chance to undertake this module as it helped to lift my spirits, enhance my skills, and improve my well-being.

References

Eby, E. (2011). The college student's guide to writing a great research paper: 101 easy tips & tricks to make your work stand out. Atlantic Publishing Company.

Gardner, H. (2011). Creating minds: An anatomy of creativity seen through the lives of Freud, Einstein, Picasso, Stravinsky, Eliot, Graham, and Ghandi. Civitas books.

Gomes, M. (2018, April 25). Five reasons to take a break from screens. The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/five_reasons_to_take_a_break_from_screens.

Hanley, S. M., Watt, S. E., & Coventry, W. (2019). Taking a break: The effect of taking a vacation from Facebook and Instagram on subjective well-being. PLOS one, 14(6), e0217743. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0217743.

Heavenridge, P. (2015). Why read? Reason #6: Knowledge is power but imagination is more valuable. Literacyworks. https://www.literacyworks.org/news/2015/5/20/why-read-reason-6-knowledge-is-power-but-imagination-is-more-valuable.

Kelley, T., & Kelley, D. (2013). Creative confidence: Unleashing the creative potential within us all. Currency.

Tharp, T. (2009). The creative habit: Learn it and use it for life. Simon and Schuster.

van der Voet, J., & Steijn, B. (2020). Team innovation through collaboration: How visionary leadership spurs innovation via team cohesion. Public Management Review, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2020.1743344.