Bust Through Creative Blocks With These 5 Tricks

Telecommuter with creative block in home office crumpling sheet of paper

Creative blocks are a common affliction among creative minds. They can be caused by anything ranging from boredom, overwhelm, lack of inspiration, and stress. Creative blocks can manifest in many different ways, from not being able to perform creative tasks to having limited creative ideas. It’s something that we all struggle with from time to time, but the good news is that there are some great tricks to help break the block and get you back on track.

In this article, we will be exploring five of the most effective and reliable tricks for busting through creative blocks. These are techniques that have been tested and proven to work for many different creatives, so no matter your discipline or project type you should be able to find something helpful here!

1. Change Up Your Environment

When you’re feeling stuck, a great way to get out of the funk is to change up your environment. A change of scenery can help to shift your perspective and give you a new source of inspiration. This means that if you’re working on a particular project and you’re having trouble making progress, it could be beneficial to move away from your usual workspace and work on it somewhere else.

This could mean a change of location, such as going to a coffee shop or a park. Or, it could be a change of environment within your home or workspace, like rearranging the furniture or changing the lighting. Whichever type of environment change you opt for, the goal should be to create a clean slate so you can look at the project from a different perspective and inject some fresh ideas into it.

2. Brainstorming

When it comes to overcoming creative blocks, brainstorming is a classic. It involves jotting down ideas in a free-flowing manner, without focusing on their quality. The goal here is to come up with as many different ideas as possible, as even seemingly bad ideas can lead to other, potentially better, ideas.

If you’re feeling stuck with your project, try taking a pen and paper and writing down anything that comes to mind, regardless of whether it’s related to the project or not. You can also try injecting visual elements into your brainstorming sessions, like working with post-it notes, magazine clippings, and coloured markers. Brainstorming can help you to make connections and open up possibilities you may have missed, so it’s a great way to break out of creative slumps.

3. Take a Break

Sometimes, creative block isn’t caused by a lack of ideas but rather by being overworked. If you’ve been pushing yourself too hard and trying to force creativity, it can be beneficial to step away and take a break so you can rest and recharge.

A break can be anything from going for a walk to taking a few days off. The key is to not just put off the project and forget about it, but to give yourself a chance to rest and come back to it with fresh eyes. This will help you to get outside of your routine and look at the project from a new perspective.

4. Reflect on Past Successes

When you’re feeling stuck and uninspired, it can be helpful to reflect on past successes. Take a few moments to think back to a project that you’re proud of and its creative process, what did you do differently? What practice made it successful? Think about the steps you took and the different tasks you completed to make it happen.

This can help to remind you of the creative process and give you the confidence to take on the project at hand. Reflecting on the proudest creative moments of your past can also help to motivate you to take action, and give you the push you need to get back on your feet and get to work.

5. Look for Inspiration

Sometimes, getting stuck just means that you don’t have any immediate ideas. If this is the case, it can be helpful to look for inspiration elsewhere. Whether it’s exploring the work of past creatives, looking at initiatives in your industry, taking a virtual tour of a museum, or checking out a magazine or blog, there are many sources you can draw from to get a creative spark.

Take some time to seek out inspiration, and let it speak to you and your project. Allow yourself to take new approaches and experiment with ideas, as this can get you out of your creative rut and get your creative juices flowing again.

Final Thought

Creative blocks can be daunting, but they don’t have to be a roadblock foryour projects. With these five tricks, you can easily break through the blocks and get back to creating. Pick one or two from the list to get started, and you’ll be on your way to conquering your creative blocks in no time.