Some days, your mind works well. You sit down in front of your laptop or computer, have a swig of your coffee, and type all the ideas away. All is good. In no time, you finish what you have set out to write. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. You may find yourself sitting there, blankly staring at your screen, aimlessly browsing through your phone when it’s just 9:30 in the morning. Welcome to the world of a creative block, my friend.
It’s frustrating, really. You find yourself reading through your previous posts, looking for something that could help you jumpstart your brain for today’s task. It feels like you’ve been drained of creative juices. But you know that this isn’t going to last long. You’re a writer! This is normal. A creative block is inevitable, but that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to get through it. Here are 7 of the best ways to overcome a creative block when creating content.
One of the best things to do when nothing comes to mind is to get up and moving. Stand up and leave your computer and do some stretches, go for a walk or a quick jog, practice some yoga, or literally do anything you prefer just to get your body to move. Such activities prove to be good for your body and relaxing for your mind. When you finally have a relaxed, peaceful state of mind, then you can go ahead and give that article another try.
Writing isn’t the only thing that helps your creativity. When writing proves to be taxing, there are various activities that you can explore. Take some photos outside, make a random sketch of something, experiment with a painting, or craft something back at the shed’s workshop. Your objective here is to activate your brain’s creative function. Once you finish your new piece, you may find yourself full of new ideas ready to be placed down in your blog.
Decluttering doesn’t always necessarily mean getting rid of stuff. Having stuff is good, provided that they don’t distract you. Tidying up your workspace could prove cathartic and help you keep it organized. The clutter in your mind is the next thing to deal with. Change your phone’s notification settings so that it won’t distract you from writing. Also, you may opt to disconnect from the internet too if this keeps tempting you to browse aimlessly. Creating a schedule for your writing also helps. Ultimately, you would want to keep yourself focused on the task at hand, so decluttering your surroundings and your state of mind can help you achieve this.
The importance of getting enough sleep is deeply ingrained in us, but what we never seem to think about is what we do when our eyes open up to a new day. Our brain’s creative connections are most active when we wake up, so it is only natural for your creativity to peak in the morning. Take advantage of this phenomenon by writing down your thoughts while your mind is still fresh; unbothered by the usual daily tasks and concerns. You’d be quite pleasantly surprised by what your brain can come up with.
It’s important to include images in your text. You likely know this already, but may not always notice the principle behind this. What you see when you write has an effect on what you write and how you feel while you write. If things seem to be uninteresting, try switching from Microsoft Word to Google Docs. Try playing around with the font faces you use and the size of the text. Colors are known to help boost creativity, so changing these to your liking makes quite a difference. No matter how little of a difference these may seem, such actions can bring you the flow of creativity that you’ve been wanting to achieve.
The right amount of caffeine can help your mind get that boost it needs to start working. So long as you keep your caffeine consumption in moderation, you won’t have to be afraid of it. Don’t let the best ideas slip by just because you couldn’t keep yourself awake long enough to write them down. Drink around 3-4 cups of coffee, tea, or any caffeine-based items in a day. Also, you can set a timer for 30 minutes of writing while sipping your warm caffeine boost for the best results.
While starting your article with an outline is a proven way to help you write fast, this may not be the best thing to do when you’re having trouble with coming up with anything to say at all. It could also limit how spontaneous your mind can go if you keep trying to fit your writing into a rigid process. When you find yourself stuck here, go on a free writing spree. This doesn’t have to end up on the actual post you’d publish, but it’s a great way to unburden yourself and let the thoughts run their intended course.
Taking a little too much time on coming up with the best introduction may keep you from going further. An impressive introduction is important, but if you already know what you want to write in the middle, then, by all means, go for it. You shouldn’t hold off on writing what you intend to say just because you haven’t finished writing your intro yet. You can save that for later. Put those down on paper before you find yourself grasping at straws devoid of ideas.
A creative block happens every once in a while. It doesn’t mean that your ideas have become mediocre or that what you’re writing is useless. Often, it’s a sign that we’ve been doing so much already, so we need to put the brakes on. Giving yourself some time to rethink and recuperate is the best way to get past this block and continue the pursuit of creative content.