Things we learned from “Stimulated! How to Spark Your Creative Genius at Work’’:

The married authors believe that creativity isn’t a luxury, it’s a survival skill. But even the most creative people can find themselves stymied by the demands of their careers. Here the authors offer habits to spark creativity and reignite passion for work.

1. Bored? Change! “Even small changes to your everyday routine will give you a burst of freshness ... and resolve to take on the challenges ahead.’’

2. Spark moments, those sudden rushes of inspiration, must be followed by conscious reflection and directed action in order to develop them. Sparks have to start fires.

3. “As important as it is to be really absorbed in a particular topic, it is equally important to consider stimulus, data, and information from diverse sources to enrich your field of observation. Creative ideas are never generated through homogeneous sources.’’

4. Allow yourself to daydream. Far from being a waste of time, daydreaming helps us relax, manage conflict, boost creativity and achieve goals. Similarly, physical play will boost creativity, prompting us to be more aware of stimuli.

5. Passion fuels success. “The way to get stimulus into your life and yield more stimulating outcomes is to express passion in everything you do.’’