How to Tackle a Creative Block

By Chloe Smith

There are many people who make a living off of their creativity. Writers, musicians, designers, artists and the like rely on those elusive and, sometimes fleeting, sparks of creativity to create amazing things.
Unfortunately, sometimes that creativity decides to play hide and seek with you. A creative block most usually comes at a time when you need it most and instead of ideas gives you great frustration, despair and panic.
Working in a creative industry we have had some experience with creative blocks. So we would like to share with you six foolproof methods that will teach you how to tackle a creative block and get back to the genius you are!

Don’t Start At The Beginning

We’ve been taught since childhood that if you want to do something there is a certain order of processes that you need to follow in order to do said thing. In fact, it’s better to be flexible and break that rigid mould of thinking so you can allow your creativity to flow more freely. You don’t have to start at the beginning, which is often the hardest part, in order to create. Start where you want to and go from there.

Go For A Walk

This is a suggestion as old as time but one that can definitely help. Getting some fresh air, stretching your muscles and letting yourself think about something other than what you need to get done can be very helpful. Go for a leisurely stroll around your local park and who knows, it could be the exact thing you’ve been looking for.

Redecorate your working space

Changing the way that your office or desk looks might sound a little weird but could be menial distraction you need. Trying to channel your creativity into a different task than the one you are trying to focus on could work wonders. You could just rearrange your workspace or go the full mile and completely redecorate. Hang up some cool art or photography that you admire to keep you inspired.

Take a break

Have a KitKat! Geddit? Seriously though it sounds simple but there is no point in trying to force yourself to think creatively. That’s not how it works and you will just make yourself more frustrated. Do anything different: read a newspaper or book, listen to some music, take a nice bath, do some cleaning ( yes really!), or just watch some TV with a cup of tea. Often it takes longer for people to break a creative block because they are pushing themselves too rather than letting it happen naturally.

Try working in a different environment

Having a routine can be good but can also make the days tedious and repetitive. If you always work in the office, try working at home. If you always work at home perhaps try a different room. You could even venture out to coffee shops, local libraries and co-working spaces, which are popping up all over the place these days.

Galleries/ Exhibitions/ Museums

There is no shortage of culture in the UK so why not take advantage of it. Instead of feeling miserable that your unable to create go out and see what someone else has created and you may just feel inspired. And don’t just go to the places that fit your way of creating; expand your knowledge and check out something that you may not have paid attention to before. Who knows what you may find!

What’s New?

Checking out what’s new and trending might trigger an idea or give away quite literally a formula to produce your own content. For 2018’s Favourite Design Trends to Happen please do check Forty8Creates blog 3 of Our Favourite Design Trends to Happen to 2018.
Look into what competitors are doing or inspiration on social media. Why not going to your local corner shop and purchase of a couple of magazines industry based? You never know what you find…

Ask For Help 

Instead of trying to figure it out all by yourself ask someone else to brainstorm with you. They could give you a fresh perspective on what you have been looking at for days. Two minds  are always better than one.
We hope that these methods help you tackle these pesky creative blocks. Are there any that we didn’t mention that you think we should have? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!
If you’d like to read more about the psychology and theories behind why creativity is so important read this great article,
The Philosophy of Creativity or why not check out Forty8Creates Pinterest for ideas?