Nine Ways to Spark Creativity When You’re in a Block

“I have no good ideas right now.”

Oh, have I been there.

I’m a creative professional with mental health challenges. Sometimes I can’t come up with a single unique thought for the life of me. It can be hard for me to find the motivation and energy to get things done.

I’ve stared at blank Word documents for hours. I’ve bemoaned my fast-approaching deadlines. I’ve scrolled through my market research list, hoping that something will eventually come to me. And…I’ll find nothing.

Mental health issues or not, creative work is hard. You can’t always rely on creative ideas forming by themselves. Sometimes, it takes deliberate work. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to help yourself get unstuck during a block.

1. Practice a similar skill

When I have no good writing ideas, I read. When I have no good sewing ideas, I browse others’ finished projects on Reddit. You can develop your creative skills by practicing adjacent skills. It scratches a similar itch in your brain and can give you some new inspiration.

2. Practice a different form of creativity

Similar to the point above, practicing any form of creativity will help you get your creative brain going again. If I don’t feel like writing, I might do some watercolor. It doesn’t matter - follow your motivation. In fact, following your motivation is really important when you’re in a creativity lull. The worst thing you can do is make your creativity a chore. This may cause you to shut down entirely. I’ll talk more about that later.

If your usual creative practice isn’t doing it for you, try something different. It can be something related to what you’d like to work on, or something different entirely. Now is the time to explore new options.

3. Do something creative in the same space where you work

Do you remember learning about how studying in the same place where you take exams can improve your scores? This is that.

Do a creative activity in the same space where you need a boost. If you dread sitting at your desk, it’s a clear sign that it’s time to do something enjoyable there. Feel free to work on whatever feels best. For me, it might be reading, watercolor, journaling, or knitting.

On a similar note, you might need to:

4. Stop doing mindless activities in your workspace

You may be accidentally feeding your lack of creativity by doing this. Yes, I’m looking at you, social media scrolling.

If you need to take a break, you need to physically get up from your desk. This will reduce the association you’ve formed. You want to only do work and creative activities in this location.

5. Improve your creative space

Look at your creative workspace. Is it cluttered? Are there distractions that affect your ability to focus? Take some time to tidy this space, or bring in new inspiration. Change up the art. Hang a corkboard with your ideas on the wall. Feel free to browse Pinterest or Instagram for others’ creative spaces for inspiration.

Make sure your workspace is tidy and inviting. This will help keep your brain focused and creative.

6. Go to a new location

Like the point above, a change of environment can be good for you. You may also find you’re less distracted when you’re not at home, or wherever you normally do your creative work. Try a coffee shop, library, brewery, etc. for a couple of hours.

7. Reach out to other creatives

You’re certainly not the first person who’s struggled with a creative block. If you reach out to your community, you’ll find others who have dealt with it too. The shared experience can help you feel less alone, and they may have some ideas for you. If you don’t know where to start, your area may have work-from-home meetups. Or, search LinkedIn to find others in your industry.

8. Don’t force it

This is especially true for those with ADHD. Sometimes, the harder you try, the harder it is to get things done. Follow your motivation, and work on whatever inspires you. That’s not to say you shouldn’t muscle through a little. Sometimes, our brain’s impulses are not what’s best for us. For example, continuing to sleep in when you know that getting up earlier is best for you can lead to more problems. Try to motivate yourself to do just a little bit of creative work. However, if you give it an honest shot and nothing happens, it’s okay to:

9. Let it go

Sometimes, a lack of creativity is a sign of burnout. You may be exhausted or overworked. When was the last time you took a day off, and truly took the day off? Did you unplug? Or did you check your email, slack, etc. while you were supposed to be away?

Hey, me too. It’s hard.

If you’re self-employed, you may truly need to check work a little. And, that’s okay. Allow yourself those checks, but don’t overdo it. Check only what you need to, and sparingly. Try to reduce any compulsive checks. Rest as much as you can - you deserve it. 

Rest gives your brain an opportunity to recover, and it could actually make you more productive. It might feel backwards, but resting can actually help you get more done and do it better.

If you’ve been trying for a while and nothing is helping, it’s time to step away. Take a break and get some rest.

So, what now?

You can go through these questions to review everything. They can also help you figure out which points to prioritize, as it’s best to focus on one or two at a time.

• What’s a skill that’s similar to the one you want to work on, but requires less energy? For example: reading when you want to write, looking at finished projects for sewing ideas, or attending exercise classes when you need to teach a new one.

• What does your creative brain want to do right now? And if you answered rest, it’s points 8 and 9 for you!

• How do you feel when you sit in your creative workspace? Are you drawn to something mindless? Do you dread sitting in that location?

• Is your creative space tidy and inviting?

• Have you tried going to a new location lately?

• Who can you reach out to for extra guidance and support in your creativity?

• Are you forcing this creative process? Do you need rest instead?

This is normally where I put a call-to-action for my writing services, but because we’re talking about your creativity, I’d rather focus on that. If you want to talk through what you’re feeling, please reach out. My email is bordo.rachael@gmail.com and I’d love to offer you some extra support. You can also schedule a zoom chat here.