How to Get Rid of Creative Block and Stay Productive

I have experienced a creative block several times in the course of my writing career. Sometimes, I would find it hard to come up with topics or get stuck in the middle of writing an article. Here are a few ways I have dealt with a creative block in the course of my writing.

I distract myself with small actions.

When I feel that I would not go any further, I usually get out of my desk and do some menial jobs that require little attention. My favorite is walking outdoors or playing with my pet. It only takes a short while to get back in the right mental shape to complete the work.

I take power naps to reset my brain.

Power naps come in handy when I am working on long projects that require a great deal of research. Most of the time, it saps my mental strength, and I get less creative. However, a few minutes of a power nap usually does the trick. I always wake up revitalized and feeling fresh. I have also taken up the habit of going for a short break after every two to three hours of working as it helps fight mental fatigue.

I listen to music to get the ideas flowing.

I have found music to create incredible experiences and generate awesome imaginations when working on a creative piece. My favorite genre is soul, R&B, and indie-pop music. You will find a playlist in the background whenever I am working.

For a writer, creator, or artist, there is nothing more frustrating than a creative block. Whether you create for a living or a hobby, running out of ideas is an uncomfortable place to be. A creative block usually happens in one of two ways. The first is when you feel you have no ideas, and you find yourself sitting in front of a blank page with an empty mind. The second kind of creative block is where you cannot find the motivation to write or create in the first place.

What Causes Creative Block?

It is important to remember that everyone has a creative block at some point. The causes of a block are numerous. Perhaps we are just not in the right frame of mind, or maybe we are tired. Sometimes, creative block happens when we have been doing too much. A block may be our brain telling us we need to take a rest and come back refreshed.

How to Overcome Creative Block

Knowing what causes creative block and recognizing the cause of your own, can help to overcome it. It is also important to remind yourself that a creative block will eventually end, and the ideas and motivation will flow again. Whatever type of block you are faced with, here are six ways you can get rid of creative block and stay productive.

1. Remove Distractions

It is far too easy to be distracted these days. With mobile phones, smart assistants, desktop notifications, the list of distractions are endless! These distractions will get in the way of your creative flow. Furthermore, if your motivation is low, these distractions will provide you with easy ways to procrastinate. Do your creative self a favor and turn all these distractions off. Make your creative space, one where you will be left in peace to let your creativity flow.

2. Do Something Else

Staring at a blank page can make you feel frustrated and in turn, block your creativity further. When you find this happening, move away from your workspace and do something else, such as making a drink. If you work from home, do a spot of tidying, and you may find that when your mind is focused on another task, an idea will pop in that gets your creative juices flowing again.

3. Practice Free Writing

Overthinking can cause a creative block and get in the way of your natural flow. A great exercise in overcoming this is to try freewriting where you set a timer for a couple of minutes, choose a heading and then write until the timer sounds. Put whatever is in your head on the page without worrying if it makes sense or not. You will be surprised at what comes out, and it might give you a creative lead. The simple act of no longer having a blank piece of paper may also help to shift that creative block.

4. Use Puzzles to Stimulate Your Mind

Another activity that can help unlock a creative block is to try a puzzle, such as a crossword, or puzzle cubes like soma cubes. Although these can be used as distractions, they are not the kind that gets in the way of your flow because they require imagination. Creativity comes from different parts of the brain and puzzles help to access the problem solving and imaginative areas of your mind. In this way, puzzles keep your mind active but in stimulating different regions which may in turn then help to get your creative flow going again. Soma cubes are a great versatile puzzle with all sorts of shapes to create and design. Keeping one of these to hand on your workspace area will help you to distract from your frustration helpfully and productively.

5. Develop the Habit of Note Taking

Ideas come to us at the most unexpected times in the most unusual places! Having a method to store these random ideas is vital in preventing and overcoming creative block. You can carry around a notebook or journal, or use a note-taking app on your mobile device. There are two great benefits to note-taking. The first is that you never forget an idea and the second is that when you have a creative block, you can look through your notes for ideas and inspiration.

6. Clear Your Mind

Sometimes, we can feel overwhelmed with everything we need to do, especially if we create for a living. Feeling stressed can halt and block our creativity. The best thing you can do if you find yourself overwhelmed is to quickly write everything you need to do down on a piece of paper. Once you have a to-do list, you can then set your tasks in order of priority, put them to one side and get on with the creative project at hand.

When you find yourself stuck on how to overcome creative block, give one of these tips and try and soon you will be creating freely once more!