As a content creator (or an online business owner), you know how frustrating it can be to suddenly find yourself unable to come up with new ideas. This is called creative block or writer’s block and is a common issue. Fortunately, you can overcome it and get your creative juices flowing again with just a few mindful actions. Here, I’ve detailed six ways to overcome creative or writer’s block to increase your productivity as a content creator.
1. Take a break
Sometimes when you feel creatively stuck, all you need is some time away from your work. Get away from your computer, laptop, notebook or whatever you use and take a break. Read a book, go for a walk or just relax for a bit to clear your mind. Breaks may seem counterintuitive but sometimes the best way to get out of a rut is simply to take a break.
2. Doodle
When you’re feeling creatively blocked, it can be helpful to doodle or draw. Don’t try to make this complicated or fancy — drawing some simple shapes will do. The act of drawing can help jumpstart your brain and get the creative juices flowing again.
3. Write down your ideas
It’s not unusual for people to suddenly get an idea when they’re in the middle of doing something else entirely. If this happens to you, don’t ignore it! Instead, stop what you’re doing and write down the idea so that you don’t forget it. I find that I tend to get ideas when I’m trying to go to sleep. Invariably, I used to forget all of my ideas when I woke up the next day so I now make sure that I write everything down in the notes section on my phone while it’s still fresh in my mind. Once you’ve written a few ideas down, you can start working on them and see if any of them turn into something more.
4. Brainstorm with someone
If you can’t seem to come up with ideas on your own, try brainstorming with someone else. You may work alone but you can always ask your friends and family members to help you out with ideas. Other content creators can get the creative juices flowing too, even if it’s a very lighthearted brainstorming session. Join social media groups that have like-minded people in them or similar online communities and just casually ask for ideas. Sometimes getting another person’s perspective when you’re feeling creatively stuck is all you need.
5. Take a different approach
If you usually write blog posts, try something completely different instead. It’s a great idea to repurpose your content anyway so start writing a video script, for example, or record a short video to publish on YouTube or to add to your social media platforms. Record an episode for your podcast if you have one. Switching up your usual routine to jumpstart your creativity is often what it takes to get it going again. Whichever method you use to get your inspiration, you can then turn it into a blog post afterwards.
6. Be patient
It’s important to remember that creative blocks don’t last forever. So even if it feels like you’ve been stuck for weeks – or even months – the ideas will eventually start flowing again. In the meantime, as long as you’re moving forward, practice patience by focusing on your writing journey overall, such as building up other parts of your blog site or focusing on different writing services.
Try to clear your mind and stop worrying about the fact that you’re suffering from writer’s block. Worrying will just make it worse and harder to shake off. Instead, focus on the present and put all of your efforts into whatever task you’re working on right now. This, in turn, can help to spark new ideas.
If you find yourself struggling with a creative block, don’t panic. Instead, just try one of these tips and see if it helps. Remember, everyone goes through periods of creative drought from time to time. The important thing is not to give up and to keep pushing through. Eventually, the ideas will come…usually when you least expect them to!
How often does your inspiration dry up and what solutions do you find work best to help you come up with new content ideas?
Image credits
Main image: Steve Johnson on Unsplash. Second image: Piyapong Saydaung from Pixabay. Third image: Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.
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