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non tourist things to do in london

10 Reasons Why Creativity is Important In Our Everyday Lives

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Why creativity is important

Creativity engages the mind in a unique way and has the power to enrich various aspects of life in a so many positive ways. It fosters innovative problem-solving, enhances communication, encourages adaptability, and strengthens connections.

Moreover, creativity has profound effects on physical and mental health, contributing to overall happiness and well-being. Cultivating creativity is life enhancing and a great tool for success and fulfillment in so many areas, making it a valuable skill to nurture and incorporate into our daily routines.

Keep reading to find our 10 reasons why discovering your creative potential will have a positive impact on your well being and life satisfaction.

Why is Creativity Important?

1. Helps with Personal Expression

Creativity and personal expression are intimately connected, forming a powerful symbiotic relationship. Creativity facilitates and enhances personal expression through allowing individuals to discover and nurture their own unique voice. Engaging in creative activities can lead to self-discovery. Through the process of creating, individuals explore their interests, values, and beliefs. It encourages introspection, helping people understand themselves on a deeper level.

smile creative girl

2. Helps Improve Mental Health

Creativity can have numerous positive effects on mental health and overall well-being. Engaging in creative ideas or activities, whether it’s painting, writing, music, or any other form of expression, can act as a form of meditation. Focusing on the creative process allows individuals to temporarily disconnect from stressors, promoting relaxation and reducing stress levels. Creating something tangible and meaningful provides a sense of achievement, which can positively impact one’s self-worth.

3. Improves Critical Thinking Skills

Incorporating creative thinking into educational and professional environments can significantly enhance critical thinking skills. By encouraging creativity, individuals are better equipped to approach problems with open minds, consider diverse perspectives, and evaluate options critically, leading to more effective and informed decision-making.

4. Problem Solving

When you need to solve problems, it’s easy to get stuck in the same thought patterns but creativity helps you break out of these patterns. Creative thinking encourages thinking beyond conventional boundaries and helps you consider out-of-the-box solutions that might not be immediately apparent. Creativity boosts innovative ideas which can lead to breakthroughs in problem-solving and produce an amazing new creative solution!

5. Provides a Different Perspective

Fostering creativity allows us to look at the big picture from different angles, offering a unique and diverse perspective. By encouraging creative thinking, people can break free from conventional patterns, explore unconventional ideas, and approach problems from various angles, leading to fresh insights and points of view.

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6. Helps Build Relationships and Connections

Creativity brings people together and has the power to foster meaningful connections between individuals through shared experiences, inspiration, collaboration and community building. It opens doors to authentic and meaningful connections by enabling individuals to express themselves, understand others, collaborate effectively, and appreciate the beauty and diversity of human experiences. Whether it’s through art, music, literature, or any other form of creative expression, people can forge lasting connections that enrich their lives and the lives of those around them.

7. Enhances Productivity

Creativity challenges the mundane and combats stagnation both personally and professionally. It promotes overall efficiency by encouraging you to be a creative thinker, produce innovative solutions and improve self esteem. Creative play allows us to launch into tasks more passionately, which often translates to increased efficiency!

8. Helps with Business Success

Creative thinking encourages thinking beyond conventional boundaries and opens up space for original ideas and innovative solutions in the workplace. Creativity also boosts productivity and fosters professional development and growth. Promoting business creativity and a workplace culture that values and nurtures creativity, organisations can significantly enhance productivity while fostering a more engaging and satisfying work environment for their employees.

9. It is a Useful Skill to Have

Creative people can attest to creativity being a very valuable skill to have and encourage creativity self expression amongst all ages and walks of life! It helps with processing emotions, decision making, generating new ideas and enhancing other talents and skills you already have. Creativity can be applied to a wide range of applications in various aspects of life, making it not only a useful skill to have, but an essential one to foster!

10. Fosters Emotional Intelligence

Creativity provides a channel for understanding and expressing emotions, empathising with others and developing essential social and emotional skills. Through creative endeavours, individuals can cultivate emotional intelligence, leading to improved relationships, effective communication, and overall emotional well-being.

Easy Ways to Incorporate Creativity into Your Everyday Life:

1. Art Classes

Art classes are highly beneficial as they allow us to experience all the benefits listed above in a fun and engaging environment! Creative classes provide a structured and supportive environment for us to unleash our creative side and learn new skills, all while fostering social connections and community spirit.



2. Start an Art Journal

An art journal serves as a versatile and therapeutic tool for personal expression, creativity, and self-reflection. It provides a safe space to express emotions, reduces stress, fosters creativity, and acts as a visual diary. Art journaling can help process complex emotions, set intentions, document experiences, and serve as a source of inspiration.

3. Practice Mindful Art

Applying the benefits of mindfulness to creativity enables us to explore emotions and thoughts in a new, imaginative and calm way. Mindful art often induces a natural flow state where you focus on your breath, thoughts, emotions and sensations while creating. Using creativity to explore these feelings in a fun and stress free way allows us to externalise our internal struggles, making them tangible. This process often leads to a sense of catharsis and can contribute significantly to healing and improving emotional well-being. Visit our mindful sessions HERE

Explore the Different Functions Offered by Pinot & Picasso’s Here!

12 Non-Touristy Things to do in London

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12-Non-Touristy-Things-to-do-in-London

12 Non-Touristy Things to do in London – Pinot & Picasso

Things we don’t want to look like in London? An obvious tourist. Visiting London can be so much fun, and while most tourists visit the famous landmarks, you can find a hidden gem if you look in the right place.

We’re going to uncover the best non-touristy things to do in London where you can avoid tourist crowds at places like the London Eye, Buckingham Palace and Big Ben. You will see there is a diverse range of fun activities and attractions that give you the taste of London you crave.

 

1. Visit Hampstead Heath

A real hidden gem is Hampstead Heath, a woodland and meadow tucked away in north London. Hampstead Heath is a popular spot among locals and is among places in London recommended to tourists. With over 800 acres to explore, there are many non touristy things to do in Hampstead Heath.

Take in the London skyline with a picnic on Parliament Hill. This viewpoint on Parliament Hill will have you spotting famous landmarks from Canary Wharf to central London.

Cool off at one of the many swimming ponds around Hampstead Heath or watch locals play sport around the gardens. It’s a great place to relax, read a book and even ride horses.

12 Non-Touristy Things to do in London

2. Check Out a London Street Market

What London is best known locally for is its markets. Many local businesses flock to the streets on weekends, and even during the week, to sell products and goods adored by many.

Vintage shopping is a hobby for most in London, and many locals would agree that Shoreditch and Brick Lane are one of the best places in London to get some retro threads. Brick Lane Market is filled with local vendors and vintage jewels.

Just around the corner, you’ll find the blooming Columbia Road Flower Market. This market occurs every Sunday from 10am selling the most beautiful flowers and plants that are perfect for gifting to a loved one, or even spoiling yourself.

For some delicious street food, Camden Market is the place to go. Not only will you treat your taste buds, but you can shop til you drop, enjoy some live music and experiences across four unique quarters. There’s even a canal with river boats!

 

3. Visit an Art Gallery or a Museum

To truly experience London, it’s great to get a taste of the culture and history of a powerful nation. In the city centre, you can uncover the history of the world at the British Museum (it’s hard to miss!). While this comes under touristy things, it is worth the visit.

For more historic hidden gems, we recommend heading to the Sir John Soane’s Museum. John Soane was one of England’s greatest architects of the Regency era.

For a greater understanding of life in England over time, the Geffrye Museum (now known as the Museum of the Home) has eye-opening events and exhibitions to view.

12 Non-Touristy Things to do in London

4. Check Out Some Street Art at Leake Street Tunnel

One of the fun non touristy things to do in London is tucked away near London Bridge and central London. Introducing the Leake Street Arches.

The Leake Street Tunnel was formerly railway arches and now is a street art gallery. With graffiti walls and hidden paintings, this rejuvenated site is now a thriving community of restaurants, bars and entertainment. The Leake Street Arches really celebrates urban culture in central London.

 

5. Attend a Paint and Sip Session with Pinot & Picasso

We consider this hidden gem to be a local favourite. Avoid non touristy places in London by treating yourself to an arty party at Pinot & Picasso. Enjoy a fun night out with your travel partners with a paint and sip session where you transform a blank canvas to a colourful masterpiece.

Head east from central London to the Pinot & Picasso Shoreditch studio where you’ll be greeted by a talented artist who will guide you step-by-step through your chosen artwork – you will need to purchase tickets before attending! Get ready to unwind from doing touristy things by purchasing a bevvy and snacks from the studio bar. Master the art of fun with Pinot & Picasso in London!

12 Non-Touristy Things to do in London

6. Head to Shoreditch High Street For a Drink or Two

Once you’re finished exploring London, head to east London and the streets of Shoreditch and cheers to this great city. Shoreditch High Street has an abundance of vibing places to get you in a good mood. From a local pub to live music venues, you can find all the places only locals visit in London.

 

7. Visit the Houses in St Luke’s Mews

One of the non touristy things to do in London is walking along the cobblestone streets in Notting Hill and admiring the houses in St Luke’s Mews. This part of Notting Hill is the location of famous scenes in the Christmas classic ‘Love Actually’.

These beautiful homes in St Luke’s Mews will have you wishing to stay in west London longer and maybe become a local.

 

8. Go on a Picnic to One of London’s Many Parks

One of the best things about London is the amount of green spaces. When you visit London, it’s best to know which parks are unknown to masses of tourists.

Hyde Park is a famous landmark and definitely worth the visit during quieter times of the day. For hidden gems, Primrose Hill in Regent’s Park will give you unmatched views on the London skyline that are perfect for sunrise through to sunset. Another park with skyline views is Greenwich Park that looks back over Canary Wharf in south east London.

Bushy Park in Richmond is the second largest Royal Park in all of London. It’s best known for its unique waterways, beautiful gardens and fallow deer that roam the space.

12 Non-Touristy Things to do in London

9. Take a Canal Boat Ride Down Regent’s Canal

Enjoy a peaceful boat ride through Camden along Regent’s Canal. Regent’s Canal will have you feeling like you’re out of London. You can hop on one of the colourful boats from Little Venice and see the sights of Regent’s Park including London Zoo.

The highlight of this canal ride is passing through Camden Town and seeing their unique stalls and shops. This is the perfect place to hop off and walk through Camden Market.

 

10. Go For Afternoon Tea

What’s synonymous with the UK? Afternoon tea, of course! There are plenty of classy and affordable options for an afternoon tea in the city centre.

Treat yourself to a high tea full of sweet and savoury treats – why not add a little champagne? Many high tea venues offer afternoon tea for the little ones too, so you can make it a family event.

12 Non-Touristy Things to do in London

11. Go on a Bike Ride at Richmond Park

Head out to west London to Richmond – made famous through the hit TV series Ted Lasso – and see the beautiful gardens and greenery in Richmond Park. The wide open spaces and watching fallow deer roam throughout the park is a nice way to give yourself a time out from the hustle and bustle of central London.

It’s London off the beaten track when you ride a bike in Richmond Park. You can even do some off-road cycling along the Tasman Trail if you’re looking for something more exhilarating.

 

12. Check out the Royal Botanical Garden

While you’re in south west London, more specifically in Richmond, you can’t visit without stopping by the stunning Kew Gardens. This Royal Botanical Garden is home to over 50,000 plants and florals including tropical plants and a Victorian Glasshouse.

Kew Gardens is perfect for plant lovers and those who need a time out for the busy streets of central London.

Find a Pinot & Picasso Studio Near You!

A paint and sip session is one of the fun non touristy things to do in London. Why not ignite your creative spark and create a masterpiece destined for The Louvre today. 

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