The single best thing that you can do to break through the creative block in general is to prevent it from ever happening (but for a couple quick fixes, scroll to bottom). Creative block is not something that just happens to you once in a while; it is the culmination of distractions and passivity that leaves you without a leg to stand on when you are in need of a bolt of inspiration.
Think about how to better structure your life around the idea of “creative optimization”. Consider these 5 factors that are talked about in Todd Henry’s book, “The Accidental Creative”:
- FOCUS: Identify and weed out distractions to decrease your brain’s transition time and energy between unrelated tasks.
- RELATIONSHIPS: Systematically engage with fellow creatives to seek out different perspectives and different styles of content creation.
- ENERGY: Time management is not enough. Make time for your brain to roam free with no distractions.
- STIMULI: If you want to regularly generate ideas, purposefully seek out stimulating and inspiring content.
- HOURS: Don’t focus on “efficiency”, focus on effective work. Place quality creation time above speed.
Some people don’t know what their friction points even are or how to create these types of creative-block-preventing goals. If this is you, start by pinpointing and declaring an identity that you would like to embody in the future.
Ex. “I am the type of person who always follows through on assignments”
or “I am the type of person who finds inspiration every day”…
…Then work backward. What does that person look like? What does that person do first thing in the morning? What steps did that person take to accomplish their workload? You can also use those identities to check your behavior along the way
Ex. Would “a person who is always inspired” be scrolling Twitter in bed?
Maybe not.
Would they take a walk at sunrise without their phone?
Yes.
The tactics are all long-term solutions that are guaranteed to let your brain work in the way you want. I have found since implementing some of these tactics that I have better idea generation moments, I feel more on top of things, and generally in-tune with my work. For some people, you might need an answer right now. For those moments, see the list below for some quick idea generation tips.
CREATIVE BLOCK QUICK FIXES:
- Carry around an idea notebook whenever things strike you or when you notice something that you like. Look back on these notes when you need a boost from your past self.
- Take your phone out of the room
- Go to a new location
- Put on a song you haven’t heard in a long time
- Move your body if you’ve been still for too long
- Change your clothes. Sometimes just turning yourself into a different person for a moment can help you think differently.
- Talk to a colleague and ask what they are working on. What problems are they solving?
- Flip through a visuals-heavy book like photography, art, a magazine, etc.
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