9 Ways to Overcome a Creative Block

⏱ Reading Time: 9 minutes

For creative people, there are few things quite as daunting in life as the empty page. That desperate need to create something new and exciting can often feel overbearing. That blank space staring back at you can feel incredibly unforgiving at times. 

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Thankfully, you are not the first person to have experienced a creative block, and you won’t be the last. People in all warps of life will have this experience, and thankfully, there are plenty of tried and tested ways to overcome it.

Best Methods to Use to Overcome a Creative Block

Take a Break From Technology

We spend a lot of our life looking at screens. This includes calling and texting on mobile and working at a computer. It can be a seriously effective way of killing off any creativity we might otherwise have. 

Taking a break from technology and putting yourself into a digital detox can be an excellent way to clear your mind and get those creative juices going again. Hide your phone away, mute your emails, and log-out of your social media for a couple of hours and allow your brain some much-needed time to think for itself.

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Picture 1. Put yourself into a digital detox

Go For a Walk 

If you’re anything like me, there’s a strong chance that you spent large portions of the day sitting in your home staring at a computer screen. This can create a vicious cycle of sitting around, procrastinating, and ultimately, not being able to think of anything original or exciting. 

One of the easiest solutions to this problem is to get up, put your shoes on, and go for a nice walk. It doesn’t matter whether you live in the middle of some beautiful countryside or right in the middle of a bustling metropolis. Going for a walk can be an effective way of getting your juices flowing.

Studies have shown that a person’s creative output is significantly increased when taking a walk. In fact, many famous authors and great thinkers have sworn by it as a method of becoming more creative.

Set a Routine 

One problem that a lot of creative people encounter is that they simply don’t try enough. Writers should make sure they write every day. It doesn’t matter if the writing is bad, practice will eventually make perfect. 

Make sure you have time for yourself every day to practice. If you spend two hours working on something you hate, the fact that you are working on it every day is flexing your mind’s muscles and helping you to think more. These can lead to first drafts of great pieces of work.

Find New Sources of Inspiration 

If you want to be an author, then you should read William Shakespeare. This is something that seems obvious to everybody. If you want to master a craft, then you should study the best. You should make sure that you read more than just Shakespeare though. You should look for as many different types of inspiration as possible.

Spending some time finding things that inspire you and indulging in them can be just as important as the actual production of your work. One single piece of work could give you all the tips and inspiration you need, so what are you waiting for? Go out there and find some new inspirations. 

Picture 2. Look for inspiration in different places

Don’t Be Afraid to Fail

One of the biggest stumbling blocks that most people encounter when it comes to being creative is a fear of failure. The idea of putting so much of yourself into a piece of work only for it to fail is crushing. It is also essential. 

All great artists failed at some point in their careers. Failure is an essential part of the creative process, and it will make you a better artist.

Dealing with failure is essential to your progress. It will also help you improve and highlight some of your weaknesses. It is also important to remember that criticism is just the opinion of one person. Do not allow someone else’s opinion to redefine your work. 

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Look After Yourself 

If you want to be at your most creative, you should live a clean and healthy lifestyle. This will help you get into the right mindset for work. 

This means making you sure you eat properly and that you get plenty of sleep. A healthy body will lead to having a healthy mind. You should make this your number one priority.

It is also important not to put too much pressure on yourself. Stress is one of the biggest killers of creativity. You should make sure you do the things you enjoy. If that involves kicking back, lighting some candles, and binge-watching the latest season of your favorite TV show, then do it. Who knows? You might even find the inspiration you’ve been looking for in there. 

Picture 3. Healthy food and enough sleep boost creativity

Have No Fear 

While fear of failure is one thing we have already touched on, it is important that you approach your creative projects with no fear at all. Do not be afraid to push the boundaries.

Sticking inside a confined sandbox or mimicking someone else’s style is only going to get you so far. Don’t be afraid to get outside of your comfort zone and try something different. You don’t have to share this work with everyone if you don’t want to.

It will also lift restrictions and help get your creative mind ticking over again. Once you are no longer scared of breaking the rules, your creative energy will go into overload.

Get a Change of Scenery 

Working and living in the same environment can begin to stifle any sense of creativity a person has. Staring at your computer in the same spot every single day is certainly not going to do much for your creativity. 

One of the best things to do then when experiencing a creative block is to mix up your creative environment. Head out and work at a library, cafe, or co-working space of some kind. Being in a different environment can just help you to change your perspective. 

This also applies to taking a vacation of some kind. While this is not always a viable option, if you are seriously suffering from a creative block, taking a little getaway can help give you a much-needed boost. 

Leaving a project behind for a short while, taking a break, and then coming back to it with a regenerated attitude can help to improve your work. 

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Work With Others

One effective way to overcome a creative block is to work with others. If you are stuck in a bit of a rut creatively, don’t be afraid to ask fellow creatives for some help.

Sharing ideas and networking in and around your workplace can help get you on the right track. A fresh pair of eyes on your work can help send you off in a direction you never thought possible. 

The idea of sharing your work and asking for help can seem daunting at times. Once you have done this once though, it becomes a lot easier. Creative types often experience creative block and will be able to offer advice to each other.

Conclusion

Creative blocks can be a scary thing to experience. They can make you feel as though your work is never going to be finished and can have an impact on the way you view your career. Following these simple steps should help guide you on the right path and prevent you from suffering from a creative block.

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Laura Garbers is a professional careers-guidance counselor with over a decade worth of experience in helping people get their careers on track and keep their minds focused. You can find more guidance from Laura at CraftResumes.