Have you ever sat down to create, only to end up stuck and thinking, “Come on, brain, think of things!”? You may be experiencing creative block.

A creative block refers to a period when you feel stuck or unable to produce new work or generate new ideas. The amount of time that this obstacle hinders creatives from their creative flow varies from person to person.

If you’ve been staring at a blank page, closed your Procreate app more times than you’ve opened it, or even questioned if you’re “not creative anymore”, just know that I feel you. You are not alone – I believe all creatives experience moments of creative block at some point.

Sometimes, what we consider a creative block is our brain waving a white flag and asking for a shift in focus, not a complete shutdown.

Below are five ways to gently navigate through the block so that you can get back to creating again – and not flipping tables.

Switch Up Your Routine

Do something small but different to spark motion.

Go outside and take a walk. Try out some new hobbies. Rearrange your workspace. Do something that gives your mind a break.

I am not exaggerating when I say I rearrange my office and creative corner at least once or twice a year.

There’s something about changing the layout of your room that provides a fresh perspective – a fresh start – which can help generate new ideas and even relieve some feelings of stress and anxiety.

And hey, if it doesn’t feel like a fresh start after rearranging your room, maybe it will at least help you find some old sketchbooks, poems, or music sheets that you started years ago, which could bring back some of that creative spark, too.

Do whatever feels right in the moment to switch up your daily routine. The goal here is to clear the mental fog and release new energy.

Acknowledge That Rest Is Also Productive

I might step on some toes here, but please remember that I want to help you, and that’s why we’re having a serious conversation.

Your creative block may be burnout instead. 

I can’t tell you whether you’re experiencing burnout or “just” creative block; only you can look at what’s happening internally and come to that conclusion (honestly) with yourself.

With burnout, you may notice the signs in how it’s impacting your energy, which in turn impacts your creativity. Some signs that you may be feeling burned out include:

• You’re physically feeling drained daily, but you’re not sick
• You’re finding it difficult to gather the strength, motivation, or passion to create
• You’re feeling down, irritated, or increasingly angry towards your work
• You’re emotionally numb or disconnected from your work, and possibly other areas of your life as well

There are times when those creative tasks that once brought you joy are causing more exhaustion and fatigue. When you recognize that, it’s essential to give yourself time to rest.

If you’re putting a lot of pressure on yourself or have too much on your plate, I urge you to take time for yourself and not create. I know – this is easier said than done, but seriously, don’t even think about creating anything for 2-3 days (or longer if needed).

You can’t produce your best work if you aren’t your best self. Take some time just to be. Go hang out with friends or spend some time alone doing nothing.

Tap in with yourself and come to terms with the fact that what you may need at the moment is not to create more, but to do less.

Write Down Your Ideas Immediately

The tip I am about to provide is one that I knew I needed to implement, but I had been putting off for so long personally. So, please, if you don’t listen to me on anything else I have said or will say, take my advice on this one. 

Keep a sketchbook or journal with you at all times. 

If you’re a digital-only creative, add a widget on your phone’s home screen that allows you to jot down notes quickly.

Whenever an idea comes to mind, write it down.

Whenever a dream speaks to you and brings inspiration, write it down.

Even if a movie or song sparks something in you to create later, write it down!

Creatives are truly gifted with coming up with unique ideas, and you owe it to yourself not to lose those ideas because you didn’t jot them down in time.

It could also help to do a mind dump regularly. I keep a page in my planner titled “Thought Playground” (because the term “brain dump” sort of gives me the ick), and I fill it out weekly. Whatever you choose to name this practice, the message is the same. 

Open a page in your notebook, planner, journal, notes app, etc., and spill everything that’s cluttering your thoughts. Often, the “mental clutter” is causing an overload, and that’s what’s blocking your creativity.

Look at Your Creativity from Different Perspectives

Piggybacking on the previous tip, we can receive inspiration from anywhere and anything.

Creativity is truly a gift, and every day I see how people uniquely create “something out of nothing”.

For some, it’s common practice to look at other creatives in your field for inspiration on styles, techniques, and trendy ideas that you resonate with. But, in the words of Rafiki from The Lion King, if you “look beyond what you see”, it may just blow your mind at how the most “random” parts of our everyday lives can get your creative juices flowing again.

From nature to human interactions, you can unlock new and unexpected sources of inspiration by paying attention to the world around you.

It could also be helpful to step away from your medium and try experimenting with something outside your comfort zone to spark something new in you. Sometimes it helps to see the world from someone else’s perspective, so use that to your advantage.*

*Just don’t use that to copy someone else’s unique, though-out work.

Just Jump In

Seriously, just jump in! Stop waiting until it feels like “the right time” to create. Even if the idea isn’t fully fleshed out, even if it’s just a doodle or a rough paragraph that you’re still processing, start somewhere.

And here’s something that I hope will relieve some of this pressure of creating for all of us – allow it to be messy. Remind yourself to enjoy the process, versus the output. It’s okay, and even recommended, to make “bad” or “imperfect” art, writing, music, etc. 

Don’t keep yourself blocked in because you’re aiming for excellence when you should just be aiming to express your creative voice freely.

Sometimes we overthink our way into paralysis – I know this from experience. Try jumping in (without overanalyzing) to experience a creative breakthrough.

Homework For You

I know, I know. You didn’t expect to be tasked with homework when you began reading this article, but I have a task that I’d like for you to complete. 

Take some time to think about why you started creating in the first place, whether that was for fun, joy, purpose, healing, etc. I’ve included two journaling prompts below that you can reflect on. 

Ask yourself:

• What initially drew me to creating?
• What makes me feel most alive when I’m in a creative flow?
  

Creative block isn’t a sign that you’ve lost your gift – it’s a sign that your mind just needs a moment.

Be kind to yourself. You’re still creative and still capable.

Whether you find inspiration through cozy hobbies or scribbling a messy idea, just take one small step today. Your spark will return.