Do you do marketing for a boring business? In a boring industry? Do you feel that you aren’t living up to your creative potential?

You are not alone.

According to a global study by Adobe, 75% of people feel they aren’t living up to their creative potential.

Creativity isn’t just for the painters and poets among us. Creativity is an integral part of the workplace.

Don’t believe me? Ask CEO’s. According to a study by IBM, creativity is valued by CEO’s as the most important quality in leadership.CEO’s also said it was the thing they value most in people.

In today’s work world we are constantly trying to multitask, maximize productivity, and minimize distraction, but this may actually behurting your creativity.

In a study by Taylor and Francis Online, you’re actually more creative at the times that you’re most distracted.

In order to stay creative, we have to learn to stop and smell the roses occasionally. This doesn’t mean mindlessly scrolling through your Facebook Timeline, but making sure you have some creative inspiration once in a while can actually increase your productivity.

So how do you stimulate those creative muscles? How do you find that creative inspiration that your heart and mind itches for?

I present to you my 7 recommendations:

7) Cool Hunting– art, design, photography, tech, and innovation

An award winning group of creative content curators based in NYC, you will never find a lack of coolness on these tropical creative hunting grounds.

6) The Sketchbook Project– the largest collection of sketchbooks in the world

Search a keyword, or just look at random sketchbooks. Need I say more?

5) knowmore– a website by The Washington Post

A place to find incredibly interesting/somewhat random knowledge. It will get your gears churning.

4) OfficeLovin’– pictures of the best startup and tech offices around the world

Warning: this website might make you a highly jealous person. Who knew work could be so pretty?

3) Daily Overview– curated satellite photography

You could use up your vacation time, buy a plane ticket, and take in the view from your window seat while you suffer from motion sickness, or you can go to this website and see the coolest areal shots curated for you right on your computer. You may still get motion sickness.

2) Brain Pickings– incredible insights on life and creativity

The blog of Maria Popova. She has written for Wired, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and more. Her website was added to the Library of Congress’s permanent archive in 2012. Her blog usually digs up some inspiring bit of insight from a historical figure on life, love, or creativity. Go read her blog, your creative muscles will thank you.

1) Colossal– The best art, design, and creative innovation ever

This is my #1 place for inspiration. It is both the steroid and the crack of online creative inspiration. You have to watch out with this one. It is so inspiring it can actually backfire, causing you to feel self conscious of your own creative abilities, or suck hours out of your day. It is only good to use in small portions and to quench the worst of creative thirsts. Approach with caution.

Keeping my mind stimulated and aware of the great creativity that goes on around me helps me to put thought and life into my content instead of just cranking out a bunch of boring thoughtless posts day in and day out.

These are my go-to places when I am running out of creative steam. What inspires you?