How to be more creative. Three simple things you can do.

You've felt it before, haven't you?

You've taken on too many tasks, juggled too many projects, thrown sleep to the wind and sustained yourself on an unhealthy level of caffeine for three days straight.

And yet the harder you try, the less work you seem to get done.

Creative burnout.

For writers, there comes a time where words are meaningless shapes. This is often known as “writer’s block,” a dreaded experience where a blank page suddenly becomes the scariest, most insurmountable challenge in the world.

No matter what you try, creativity has fizzled out.

So how do you stoke your creativity fires?

Take a break

I’m not talking about eating a Kit-Kat (although the energy boost from a bit of sugar mid-way through a dull afternoon is never a bad thing), but actually getting away from your screen.

It’s a wonder what a bit of fresh air will do you.

Although it seems counterintuitive – why stop when you have looming deadlines and need to force yourself to get it done – taking a break is the human equivalent of, “turning it off and on again.”

Even if going for a walk isn’t possible, simply opening a window, or moving from one room to another can be enough to break the monotony of your struggle and get those creative juices flowing again.

It can be as short as five minutes, or it can be a whole afternoon. But mentally resting your mind will do more to refill your creativity than pushing yourself through it will.

Self-care is more than important, it’s essential, and being too hard on yourself or forcing it won’t help.

Get inspired

It might sound simple, but it’s amazing how often you can forget to do this when you’re in the middle of an urgent piece of creative work: recharge your creative batteries with something that inspires you.

It could be anything – music works for me. For others, it’s a film or TV show. Food (cooking and/or eating), books, webinars, podcasts…anywhere you can see something new and different.

Sometimes it just takes watching someone else create their art for your own ideas to spark and inspiration to take hold. Whether it’s exploring something new or revisiting something that brings on feelings of nostalgia, it’s likely to rekindle your motivation, if nothing else.

Either way, it’ll be just what you need to get stuck back in to your project!

Talk

There’s a lot to be said for collaboration.

Bouncing ideas off other people – whether they’re creatives or not – is guaranteed to open you up to new ways of thinking and seeing your current challenges in a different light.

Although it can be daunting to share half-formed ideas (we’re all our own worst critics, after all, and the idea of sharing something unfinished for critique and feedback can be somewhat terrifying), but you’ll probably find you can see a way out of the creative slump when you just share your ideas and problems with other people.

Tapping into your team creativity and other people’s individual viewpoints, likes, dislikes, and opinions will make the final piece of work more well-rounded because additional views have been taken into consideration.

Working in silo has a purpose - when you need a distraction-free environment to get your head down and complete a piece of work. But more often than not, there's an element of collaboration required at the start - and usually throughout - to ensure the motivation stays high and the project stays on track.

Even having a non-related conversation can be distracting enough to boost your creativity when you return to your project.

And there you have it. Three fool-proof tricks that are guaranteed to put a spring in your creative stride!

But even if you've tried these tips and you're still stuck, don't despair. Creativity and failure are the best of friends and sometimes the biggest failures can lead to the greatest successes. 

If you need help with creative in your business take a look at our services, we may be able help.