It’s frustrating, discouraging, and can even make you question your abilities.
But don’t worry, it happens to us all.
The good news is that there are ways to break through creative blocks and get your creativity flowing again.
Here are some techniques for overcoming creative blocks and staying motivated and inspired.
Let’s first identify some common creative blocks.
Fear is a common creative block that can manifest in many ways.
It can be fear of failure, fear of rejection, or fear of not being good enough… there’s a long list.
If fear is holding you back, you’re probably thinking of it wrong.
Fear is your friend. Uh-huh, yeah. I said it.
Fear is a natural and instinctive response that has evolved to help you survive in dangerous situations.
Its purpose is to alert you to potential threats and to prepare your body to respond to them.
When you experience fear, your body releases adrenaline and other hormones that increase your heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure, making you more alert and ready to fight or flee, if necessary.
Fear serves a protective function by helping you avoid dangerous situations.
And like all emotions are data, so is fear. Your fear is telling you something. Listen to it.
Journaling about your fear is a good way to uncover what’s truly holding you back.
The pursuit of perfection can and will lead to creative blocks.
When you strive for perfection, you put a lot of pressure on yourself and end up feeling stuck.
There is no such thing as perfect, just aim for progress.
Trying to be perfect inevitably means you’re trying to live up to some kind of expectations about what you should or shouldn’t be doing.
But, dear, kill your shoulds. Just like you murder your adverbs and kill your darlings.
Identify your own priorities and values, and to set goals that align with these priorities rather than with external expectations.
By focusing on what you truly want, rather than what you think you “should” want, you overcome your limiting beliefs and achieve greater success and fulfilment in your creativity, and in life.
If you don’t know what your core values are, you can play do these thought experiments to find out.
Procrastination is another common creative block.
When you procrastinate, you put off doing the work you need to do and end up feeling overwhelmed and stuck.
The trick with procrastination is twofold: first, you need to identify why you’re procrastinating.
Procrastinating can often be a stand-in for you not honestly wanting to examine some kind of emotion you’re feeling.
In this case all you’re doing is avoiding how you really feel.
I often find that my excitement with a scene that I’m writing will wane if I’m doing the wrong thing – either for the narrative or for the individual characters.
I lose all interest in it and rather than face the truth – that I’m doing the wrong thing and need to listen to my feelings because feelings are data – I avoid it altogether and just procrastinate.
This is counterproductive procrastination.
Eventually, I just have to take myself by the scruff and face how I really feel. That typically comes in the form of journaling.
Then there’s productive procrastination.
This type of procrastination I actually schedule time for. I bake it into every workday and every project.
As long as I have that creative burn, blazing with the force of a thousand suns, we’re all good.
But even too much of a good thing is too much.
Feeling positive and negative feelings requires the same amount of energy from your body, and they will both tire you out the same way.
So, even when you’re feeling fired up and doing work that you love, you need breaks – particularly, when you’re neurodivergent.
And you never know when an in-between procrastination session is going to inspire even more things, so take them.
Add procrastination time to every single thing you do.
Because your brain also needs time to order, catalogue and process all the information it as gathered from your experience.
Now that we’ve identified some common creative blocks, let’s look at some techniques for breaking through them.
- Change your environment: Sometimes, all you need is a change of scenery to get your creativity flowing. If you’re feeling stuck, try working in a different location, or even just rearrange your workspace. In a pinch, scenery in a game or movie will even do.
- Take a break: Taking a break can help you clear your mind and come back to your work with fresh eyes. Take a walk, do some yoga, or just take a few deep breaths. And remember that time is an essential part of the creative process.
- Sleep: Your brain is constantly gathering input. The harder you run your processor (brain) the more it’s processing ideas and concepts. Sleep is literally how your brain resets, it’s like clearing out your RAM. After a good sleep, it’s always easier to go back and do creative work, so just know that the less you sleep, the more you’re damaging your creative process.
- Brainstorm: Brainstorming can help you generate new ideas and break through creative blocks. Write down anything and everything that comes to mind, without judgment. And remember to journal!
- Collaborate: Working with others will spark new ideas and help you break through creative blocks. Collaborate with a colleague or friend on a project.
- Set goals: Setting goals can help you stay focused and motivated. Break your project down into smaller goals and celebrate each accomplishment along the way.
Breaking through creative blocks is just the first step.
The next thing is to maintain your drive and enthusiasm.
Surround yourself with inspiration.
Your workspace should be filled with things that inspire you, whether it’s artwork, quotes, or photographs.
These visual cues can help remind you of your goals and keep you motivated to achieve them.
Take risks and try new things.
This can be daunting, but taking risks helps you push past creative blocks and discover new ways of approaching your work.
Even if things don’t go as planned, you’ll learn valuable lessons that you can apply to future projects.
Celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small.
Taking time to acknowledge your achievements can help you stay motivated and build momentum.
Whether it’s treating yourself to your favourite food or simply taking a moment to reflect, don’t underestimate the power of celebration.
Practising self-care is also essential to staying motivated and inspired.
Taking care of yourself can help you recharge your batteries and stay focused on your goals.
Make sure to take breaks, eat well, exercise, and get enough sleep.
These habits will help you feel energized and ready to tackle new challenges.
Finally, keep learning.
Learning new skills and techniques ensures you stay motivated and inspired because it fuels your curiosity.
Take a class or workshop, read books, or watch online tutorials.
You never know when you’ll stumble upon something that sparks your creativity and leads to a breakthrough.
Creative blocks are a common experience for anyone in a creative field.
But they don’t have to hold you back.
By identifying common creative blocks, using techniques to break through them, and staying motivated and inspired, you can overcome creative blocks and continue to create amazing work.
Next: From pages to masterpieces 🪄 >>
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