5 Ways to get inspired when you’re stuck in a creative drought
It happens. Sometimes you have a project to get done, but you’ve found yourself having the biggest writer’s block. Or perhaps you’ve got the tingles to create something great, but there’s just no creative juices flowing. It’s frustrating.
Being creative can be hard. I would know, especially now when I’ve just quit my full-time job and I don’t have anyone that’s directly accountable for the work that I do. It’s hard to sit down and get creative – I find that when I have too much freedom, my creativity can almost feel restricted.
These days, to seek inspiration I usually turn to a couple of things. Maybe these things will help you to overcome your creative block, like they’ve helped me!
Here are 5 ways to find inspiration when you’re stuck in a creative drought:
1. Listen to music
What better way to find creative inspiration than to turn to other creatives? For me, music really gets my creative juices flowing. There isn’t a day that I go without listening to my favourite jams or discovering new tunes.
If you’re working on something that requires a certain emotion, then why not delve into Spotify and find a playlist related to the mood you’re trying to capture?
For example, I’ve been trying to figure out a plot for a story I’ve started writing and I was inspired by Shawn Mendes’ lyrics of unrequited love. This helped me develop the tone that I wanted to capture throughout the story.
2. Browse through magazines and blogs
Flicking through magazines or browsing through blogs is a great way to inspire design ideas. Every month or so, I like to treat myself to a hardcopy magazine and flip through it to see how they’ve organised their copy and images in an artistic way. I then like to take these designs and experiment with them in my own way on Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop.
Of course, magazines can be a little on the pricey side, but that’s where blogs come in! There’s so many great websites out there on the interwebs that can evoke inspiration.
Some of my favourite websites and blogs include:
Designspiration – A pinterest of sorts for great graphic designs, photography and more
Canva – Learn about design and digital media
Sex, Drugs & Helvetica – Awesome design topics and issues
Life Hack – Find hacks for your life and be inspired
The Utopian Life – A range of articles on how to live happier
Swissmiss– A design blog by Tina Roth Elsenberg
Jonna Jinton – One of my fave Swedish bloggers and creatives.
3. Disconnect yourself and go for a walk
I’m guilty for being a potato in front of my screen and not moving my butt.
Sitting for hours and staring at a screen can really deplete energy levels and creativity. If you feel drained and strained, it’s time to disconnect from the digital world and get acquainted with nature.
A 20-minute walk is all it takes to get motivated to tackle the rest of your creative day. Don’t forget to team it up with some Pokémon Go (go team Mystic)!
4. Be social
Okay, so this is the hardest thing to do as a shy and timid introvert. That being said, sometimes you’ve just got to harden up and take some time to be a social butterfly. That doesn’t mean you have to be the life of the party, it just means you need to communicate with others.
As much as I like being alone to dwell with my own thoughts, being able to share ideas and thoughts really helps to develop creativity and to see things in different perspectives. So go ahead and set up a coffee date with a friend! It’ll do wonders (and then you can go hibernate for the rest of the week).
5. Evaluate your goals
It’s so easy to give up. You’re stumped for ideas and nothing seems to be going your way. Well, did you know that nothing ever comes easy in life? There’s no such thing as luck, there’s only hard work and open-mindedness.
No matter what it is that you’re struggling with (be it a creative project or just life in general), never give up. Re-evaluate your goals. Understand why it is you’re doing what you’re doing. Take a step back and figure out the steps to get there. If you fail, you’ve learned something new.
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There have been many times when I’ve told myself that I simply can’t do it. I can’t be creative and I can’t make my dreams come true. But when I take a step back from it all, I realise that it’s this negative thinking that will get me nowhere! Instead of saying “I can’t”, say “I CAN!” and start taking the steps to get there. Be proactive. It’s super cliché, I know, but it’s all in your mind.
I hope these five ways to find inspiration will help you get creative.
Until next time,
Leonie xo