Two sides of the same coin: Relationship between constraints and creativityConstraints can influence creativity both negatively and positively. Constraints generally undermine creativity by inhibiting uniqueness and intrinsic motivation to a large extent. In a sense, the best way to improve and develop creativity is to identify and eliminate all constraints. However, this is not always the case in most creative work. In other words, constraints also have a positive impact on creativity in certain circumstances. Just as the same coin has two extremely different sides, so does constraint. Ultimately, appropriate constraints can actually stoke the fire of innovation (Amabile & Kramer, 2010). It’s the strategic use of constraints that counts. How time constraints influence creativity. The first thing I would like to discuss is time and creativity. Time constraints reduce creativity to a large extent. In most cases where there are time constraints, people are likely to perform the given tasks under pressure, so time constraints have a detrimental effect on creativity. That being said, creativity can be enhanced by time pressure if creators are protected from distractions or feel like they are on a mission. In the interest of clarity of this argument, let me give a very classic creativity task, an incomplete image task, to elucidate this two-sidedness. Suppose we are asked to complete a picture that intentionally contains shapes like the hands of a clock. And the task must be completed in 30 seconds. Time in this task obviously plays a role of constraint. Yet this constraint can be explained differently by the idea that the way we are aware of and accept this constraint in achieving...... middle of paper ......k is always linked to constraints. As we saw above, constraints do not necessarily prevent creativity; in fact, it has a lot to do with how it is identified and managed, in part because of its two-sided nature on creativity. As such, it is far from saying that creativity can be enhanced or hindered depending on the use of constraints in a given situation. In a nutshell, it’s the strategic use of constraints that matters. The bottom line is that if constraints dominate the goal of the task, those constraints definitely stifle creativity; however, if constraints play a role in one of the mechanisms for making the task appropriate and unique, creativity can thrive when constrained. Works Cited Amabile, T and Kramer, S. (March 25, 2011). Necessity, not scarcity, is the mother of invention. Retrieved from http://blogs.hbr.org/2011/03/necessity-not-scarcity-is-the/