Step away from the grind. There's a reason we get our best ideas in the shower, and it's related to the type of brain activity that relaxation enables. Creativity requires two ingredients: 1) raw materials of information and ideas to mash together randomly, and 2) boredom - the ability to let the mind wander.

Most of us in modern life are exposed to plenty of ingredient 1 but have a shortage of down time to devote to ingredient 2.

Me? I'm most creative during a long holiday weekend on those mornings when you wake up at eight and laze around in bed until 11 letting your mind wander and then semi-doze for another couple hours after a shower.