Regardless of our job title, our work will always benefit from new ideas and new ways of thinking. We are used to thinking of inspiration as something that appears more or less randomly; in reality, it is a skill that we can learn to develop within ourselves and call upon whenever we need it.

The School of Life's Inspiration Card Set is a toolbox for developing new ideas: 52 exercises that encourage an inventive mindset. Instead of waiting for inspiration to come, we can spark it and use it when we need it. Each exercise encourages us to exercise a specific creative muscle and helps us create the psychological conditions for original work. With insights from art, music, psychotherapy and innovation, this is an invaluable tool for creatives and professionals alike, helping our minds become more reliable lightning rods for our many inspirations.

Directions:

1. Choose a random exercise from the box.
2. Follow the instructions and complete the exercise, either alone or in a group.
3. If you get stuck, choose another one - and keep going until a particular project doesn't seem so scary anymore.

Examples of content:

• Sensory Deprivation

Removing distractions and external stimuli can allow our minds to wander more freely. That's why ideas tend to come to us in the shower, or just before we fall asleep. Sensory deprivation tanks are an extreme (and expensive) way of quieting the outside world. Create your own makeshift sensory deprivation tank. Find a spare office or free room and close the door. Turn off the lights, close the shutters or blinds, and switch off any electrical appliances. If it's still noisy, use earplugs or play white noise through some headphones. Stay there for at least 10 minutes, or as long as you like. Use the time and space to think about your project – or try to think about nothing at all, and allow your mind to drift.

• Paint Like a Child

Pablo Picasso spent his career developing his painting in an increasingly abstract direction. Near the end of his life, he remarked that although he was a technically accomplished painter at fifteen, 'it took me a lifetime to paint like a child.' Try to recall the person you were at five years old. How might you look at your work differently? What might strike you as humdrum and what as exciting? What rules might you be prepared to break to honor your five-year-old?

Contents: 52 cards in a hard box with instruction card
Size: 16x12x4 cm
Language: English