We’ve all experienced bouts of writer’s block or dips in our creative flow. Sometimes, I think that’s the brain’s way of telling us we’re overproducing and need to pull back the reigns a bit. For the most part, though, I believe writer’s block and a stagnant creative flow are because we start taking our creativity for granted. We pull and tug on our creativity, but we don’t refill our tank. That’s when blocks in creativity most often reveal themselves. These tips will help you get outside your box and rediscover your creative flow in no time.
Try a new workout.
Exercise, even a quick walk around the neighborhood, is always a great way to get your creative juices flowing. If you’re bored of your current workout routine, try something new to shake it up. The endorphins you produce while working out are great for clearing your head and allowing creativity to seep through.
Drink more water.
Sometimes, a lack of creative flow is more closely related to overall health. If you aren’t drinking enough water throughout the day, a foggy feeling can settle in and you may feel unfocused and fatigued. Sip on more water during the day, take small breaks from your work, and see if you feel more creative afterward.
Make time for free-writing or use writing prompts.
Stepping outside your writing comfort zone is a great way to crank up your creative flow. If the thought of free-writing makes you nervous, hop on Pinterest and search “writing prompts.” You’ll find thousands of ideas to choose from. Then, just sit down and write the first thing that comes to mind.
Tame an unruly spot in your home or office.
A cluttered space makes a cluttered mind, so if you’re constantly staring at a messy pile on your desk or the laundry basket is mocking you from the corner of your bedroom, it’s likely going to zap your creativity. Tackling the spots that make you cringe the most may help increase your creativity.
Build a tribe of creative people.
It’s hard to be creative in a vacuum. By surrounding yourself with creative people—they don’t all have to be writers—you’ll have a group you can bounce ideas off, talk through issues only creatives face, and develop a connection you can count on.
Write a daily gratitude list.
There will be days when negative thinking will block your ability to create. To stop negativity in its tracks, develop a habit of writing a daily gratitude list. Reminding yourself of what you’re grateful for has been shown to improve peoples’ moods, and an improved mood means a better headspace to be creative.
Listen to music.
Music is powerful. Crank up the volume on your favorite song, shuffle through your go-to playlist, or dive into a new music genre and you’ll feel invigorated.
Brain dump your thoughts into a journal.
If your head is spinning with to-dos, anxious thoughts, and everything else weighing you down, your brain has no room to think creatively. Dump all your thoughts into a journal—it doesn’t have to be pretty and your handwriting doesn’t need to be legible. The whole point of brain dumping is to clear the clutter from your head. You don’t even have to organize the thoughts you put on paper; you could burn those pages if you wanted. Brain dumping is the act of clearing your headspace, so you can focus on what’s important to you.
Make time to find inspiration.
I don’t believe you have to wait until inspiration strikes to write, but I do strongly believe that you need to fill your inspiration buckets. You can keep yourself inspired by visiting art museums, watching a movie, reading articles on a website you love, reading a new book, or doing anything that leaves you feeling inspired when you’re done. It’s important to keep your inspiration bucket topped off because you can’t draw from an empty well. Focusing on inspiration outside of your writing time is what fuels your writing.
Travel to a place you love.
From sightseeing to restaurants and being on a different schedule from your norm, traveling to a new place or even one of your favorite places can spark your creative flow again. Take a notebook with you and write down anything that inspires you and take tons of pictures, but most of all just enjoy being present in each moment. You’ll have plenty of new stories to tell and your creativity will overflow.
What do you do to rediscover your creative flow? Leave your comment below!
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