7 Expert Strategies to Break Through a Creative Block

Feeling bogged down from a lack of ideas or energy to continue your work isn’t the most pleasant situation. But understanding that having a block is normal might cheer you up a bit. If you want to know more about how you can overcome your block, keep reading this article, as we have gathered seven ways to do that.

1. Fight Daily Routine

Doing the same things every day can be too boring. It is so boring, that it results in a lack of motivation, energy and creative thinking. But who says every day of your life should look just like the previous one?

If you have a certain daily schedule or morning (or evening) routine, change it without any doubts. Shaking up your life might be scary, but it is necessary for everyone who must create something new daily. It doesn’t matter what type of routine you have — drinking coffee every hour at work, going to the gym after breakfast, or taking the same bus after work.

2. Don’t Focus on the Block

Almost every person who faces a creative block starts focusing on it, in an attempt to find the reasons for it. Sometimes this self-digging might even result in depression and disappointment, which is why it is the last thing that a person should do.

Actually, the best option would be to hide the problem away for some time. If you are working, for example, on the text for a commercial and can’t finish it, put the work away and try to focus on something else.

While your brain is working on other tasks, you might find that there are plenty of ways to solve the problem that you considered hopeless.

3. Find Inspiration in Someone Else’s Work

What can be more inspiring than a favorite book, amazing painting, or any other masterpiece? If you need a little push, then you should get it from the professionals in their spheres.

Of course, we are not talking about plagiarism right now, as it would be a theft. But diving into someone’s imagination, whether it is a designer, writer, photographer or any other creative person, is always like a breath of fresh air. It can give you even a small hint that later will develop into a beautiful and powerful concept. So, if you are tired of brainstorming, search for inspiration instead.

Related: 10 GIFs Any Creative Team Would Understand

4. Have a Fresh Look

When you come back to your work after not touching it for a while, you might have some new ideas or thoughts about changing some details that now seem off to you.

But you might also need a fresh pair of eyes. You can always ask your colleague to brainstorm with you or give an opinion on your work. Don’t be afraid of criticism, as we all need it sometimes in our everyday life. Even if you don’t find the advice from the side person useful, you might still have some new ideas.

You can also try this tip with your friends or family members — someone who is not involved with the type of work that you perform. You might be surprised by how people far from creative spheres can give useful and interesting hints.

An Extra Tip:
Sarah Peterson, the head designer of EssayTigers is a fan of thinking outside the box to get her team’s creative juices flowing again.

“My team and I face creative blocks from time to time, like almost every person in the world. The thing that always helps get our creative juices flowing again is a jigsaw puzzle session. Some manual work helps you have a healing break to clear up your thoughts. So, don’t be surprised if you find our employees putting together jigsaw puzzles in the office.”

5. Find Your Sweet Spot

Sometimes your block is caused by certain triggers. You might want to track your ups and downs to find a certain pattern, e.g. track how many hours of sleep you had, your mood, or your health.

You can also find the best time of the day for you to work — your sweet spot. Some people are more productive in the mornings, others can work only at night. It’s not a rare case when people can’t fall asleep due to the number of fussing ideas, but when the next day comes, they can’t come up with a single thing.

6. Keep Calm

When you have too many thoughts on your mind, or too many emotions swirling about, you can’t concentrate and find the way out a dead end. In this situation, calming down and getting back to work after some time will definitely help overcome your creative block.

7. Don’t Place Blame

Yes, sometimes your work gets harder than usual. Yes, you need a little time to overcome the difficulties. The thing to remember is: this is not about your talents or skills.

A creative block is no reason to stress. They happen to the best of us. Just write down any idea that comes to your mind and come back to it later, when you’re ready to be inspired to do your best work.

Stacey Wonder

Stacey Wonder is a freelance blogger and a content marketer who currently works for EssayTigers. She loves it when her educational articles on self-development, marketing and management come in handy.