How do you overcome creative block?
Aaron O'Leary
47 replies
Creative block affects everyone at some point, I get it quite often when working on a new idea, normally I use exercise, relaxing, reading and journalling to get to a better state. How about you?
Replies
Benjamin Lucas@benjamin_lucas1
Stepping away from the task for some time may be helpful if you've discovered that you've been thinking about it for hours. Balance is the key!
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I usually go out for a 15-20min walk or go training. Since I'm a writer primarily on LinkedIn I usually go scroll and comment on peoples posts, and through commenting I generate new ideas for my conent.
@luka_vasic Do you find training helps clear your mind?
@aaronoleary Yea, I usually write in the evening and when I run into a roadblock I go out and do a quick workout to get my mind cleared.
Simple - by doing something I love the most, which is play football!
@varun_kodnani Nice!! Do you support any team?
I love meditating. It helps me reset. After, I like going on a long walk!
Leave it behind. Exercise or activity that demands you to be present and in the moment, and in a kind of flow state (eg. surfing) can really help.
@clemenszlami I like the idea of leaving it behind, kind of just come back to it, sometimes you need a break
@clemenszlami Great point. And interestingly, most of the best ideas come when you're not working!
By the way, I'm looking for feedback on AnyGo, a tool used to easily compare the cost of driving and flying between U.S. cities. You can find it on my profile page. Thanks Clemens!
"Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work" - Stephen King.
When I feel that creative block, this quote comes to mind. For me, it's a reminder that my creativity comes from a passion or interest in whatever the subject is and that if I sit and start working, the creativity starts to snowball, and the next thing I know several hours have gone by. I was completely in the zone.
Listening to music while working really helps too
@jovahn_stubbs Any music recommendations?
Walking, cooking and woodworking. For me, sometimes creative block is a sign for something entirely different, like the idea might not be that close to my heart.
By doing something completely different, I can also see how much every moment I wanna come back to the project.
@sameercharles Woodworking, that's super interesting! Have you made anything recently? I could never get the hang of it!
Take some time off, don't force it. Focus on yourself and maybe exercise or meditate. Go out and find something new and exciting to do or explore, get some new inspiration.
Launching soon!
What works best when trying to overcome a creative block is different for everyone. For me, walking away from the computer and going close to nature with my notebook always helps.
Don't force things. Take your time. Do something else, go for a walk/long drive, enjoy the weather outside. These things helps a lot!
the best way i feel is to take cold water bath !
I always appreciated trying/learning new things that I've always been interested in but never took the effort towards. The spark of curiosity was always a nice motivator that translated into a a desire to be more creative.
I normally switch to some task that needs immediate attention that is more repetitive admin based that doesnt require a great deal of thought, I find when switching back to the creative task I generally get into a creative flow. Plus procrastination is followed by panic of a hard deadline and the urgency also unblocks. The second isnt great but it is what it is.
Sometimes thinking small helps - by that I mean breaking down the over all thing you're working on into each of its components and then focusing on just one of them for a while - clear the mind of all the distractions of the other parts. This I find can spark some really great ideas!
Launching soon!
I find working out or taking a shower stimulate my creativity π
Taking a break - meditation is good, walking, swimming, biking, being out in nature...
Reading books I like helps me a lot
For me, long cold showers work like a charm.
Reading case studies regarding the ideas I'm exploring or experimenting with completely different prospects also works against overcoming creative blocks!
Sci-fi series work too!
I usually go out for a run to clear my head, or if some idea is half done, I leave it and come to it after a few days.
Other times I watch a movie and observe other creators or read some blog on the topic I'm struggling with.
Is it creative block or procrastination?
Most of the time, people experience creative block when they are in severe burnout or overwhelmed with the amount of tasks they have to do in a day or week. It's like you're mind is telling you 'you're overworked, and you need to rest.'
The solution: If you can't keep your mind off of something, take a break. Relax. Go for a walk, listen to your fav playlist or podcast show, and even spend 15 to 30 mins of you're time doing nothing.
Meanwhile, some people uses 'creative block' as an excuse when they wanted to procrastinate or (they already did procrastinate, but) spent most of their time doing nothing.
The solution: Just do it! I've read the three-hour work-focused period where you have to work for 3 hours straight without any distraction. This can help you get started, finish more tasks, and feel better knowing you're done with a lot of things in a day.
Two different things requires two different solution.