Ways To Free Up Your Creativity
Sometimes I get stuck. I might be in a bad mood or can’t seem to get a break. Anything that can get in my way of my schedule, does.
The last thing I feel like being is creative.
Creativity, however, can’t be left alone. It has to be worked at and nurtured.
How do you do that when you just feel…. blah?
I want to share a couple of techniques that have helped me when I need a creative boost.
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Sit down and do small little chunks of work.
Small little bites at a time. I found tremendous help in using a 6-minute timer to get things done. It’s such a useful tool for me to sit down focus and make headway on creative projects. Before I know it, I can look back and see that I’m making progress. Then I start to feel hopeful.
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Do something creative that uses a different skillset
If you are stuck on a project and can’t seem to get inspiration, walk away for a little bit and pick up another creative tool. This could mean you pick up a musical instrument or a paintbrush. We can use the creative part of our brain sometimes by giving it a break with other fun, creative things to do. I do this with drawing or playing music. A friend of ours gave us a piano and I’ve been filling some of my spare time plunking out tunes and rediscovering my love of music. It’s a breath of fresh air for the spirit.
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Change your view, get out of the house (or even travel!)
Being in the same space day after day can sometimes wear you down. We all need a little reset. Sometimes it’s as simple as climbing in the car driving to the other side of town and hanging out in a park. It could involve traveling. In her article “8 Reasons Why Traveling is Good for Your Health”, Karen Reed observes that creative people will travel to a new place so they can be exposed to new ideas or cultures. It can serve as a trigger for creativity. My trip to Joshua Tree triggered the idea for an article. My recent family trip to Ireland and Scotland inspired me for several future goals.
There are immediate things you can do to get unstuck if you’re in a creative dry spell. The most important thing you can do is take action.
You’ll get there…
If you want more inspiration about how travel can not only benefit your creativity but your health as well, read Karen Reed’s full article here…
And if you like to read what I learned from my recent trip to Ireland and Scotland, click here.