5 ways to boost your creativity and get out of a creative block
Let’s talk about creativity a bit.
We all know that feeling: stuck. You’ve been looking at the same project for days, weeks, maybe even months, and you can’t seem to come up with any new ideas. No matter how many times you brainstorm or how many different angles you try to approach it from, you just can’t seem to find that one great solution.
If this sounds familiar, don’t worry — you’re not alone. Many people (myself included) have struggled with creativity at some point in their careers.
So what can you do to get out of this rut and start generating some truly great ideas? Here are a few things that have helped me in the past.
1. Research, research, research.
When you’re trying to come up with new ideas, it can be helpful to look at what others have done in the past — not so that you can copy them, but so that you can build on their work and take it in your own unique direction. So make sure to do your homework before starting any project.
2. Read more.
The more you expose yourself to new ideas and perspectives, the easier it will be to come up with original thoughts of your own. So try making a habit of reading books, magazines, and articles outside of your normal area of interest. You never know when or where you’ll find inspiration.
3. Use creative techniques.
If traditional brainstorming isn’t working for you, try using some techniques designed specifically for sparking creativity, such as mind mapping or SCAMPERing.
4. Brainstorm… with a twist.
If regular brainstorming sessions aren’t getting you anywhere, try shaking things up a bit by using reverse brainstorming or brainwriting instead.
5. My favourite: take action.
Creativity isn’t about waiting for an apple to fall on your head from a tree — it’s about taking action and putting in the hard work required to generate new ideas.
I hope these tips help you get your creativity flowing again. And if you have any hints of your own on how to boost creativity, please share them in the comments!
