Tap tap tap tap tap..
This was the only audible sound present in my stress-cluttered bedroom as I had then crossed into hour number two of hunching over my laptop in an unsuccessful attempt to initiate my first article. The ‘tap tap tap’, unfortunately, were not my fingers typing away at the keyboard and, instead, was a useless attempt to spark creativity and fill-in the silence by consistently pencil-tapping. I was normally quite skilled at creative writing on a whim, or for whatever matter. I could not wrap my head around the fact that I was in this much of a rut regarding how to start. Additionally, the inevitable Miss Writer’s Block was making her presence very known. I could not fathom the thought of wasting any more time on pondering the emptiness in my brain, so I took it upon myself to help get the creative train chugging again. After a quick Google search, I knew what I had to do to get back on track.
So, what do you do when your creativity has seemed to diminish and you have been suck in one place for a prolonged period of time? Well, allow for me to guide you through just how! Below are some of the best methods for repelling creative block.
1. Try!
Now while I understand that this is oftentimes much more easier said than done, I also stress the fact that creativity does not become present within an individual out of thin air. People should exercise creativity such as they do their muscles; the more you exercise it, the stronger and more evident it becomes. Research supports the idea that the more one uses their brain to do something, the stronger the connections between the cells in the brain become. Personally, my creativity has been stifled since moving to college. Between classes, projects, clubs, personal and mental health, work, etc., my brain is worn out and oftentimes cannot process any creative thinking due to a lack of room for it among all other things. Therefore, I recommend dedicating time out of your day to thinking creatively and unplugging from distractions. This will train your brain to move in a creative direction more frequently as you exercise its ability to do so more.
2. Switch up your surroundings/location.
Any effort to alter whatever it is that you are surrounded by will stimulate more creative energy and thinking. Whether it is by refreshing your cup of coffee, going to a park, meeting with new people, or engaging yourself in a walk/exercise, you are sure to better yourself in the process. In fact, going on a walk is specifically what aided me in the process of creating this article. As noted in the beginning, I was stuck! Therefore, I partook in a calming walk around campus alone in which enabled me to pick up in my writing where I had left off when I returned. In fact, exercising regularly exhibits a significant boost performance in academics as well in extracurricular activities. Following up, study researcher, Lorenza Colzato, at Leiden University in the Netherlands states that, “exercising on a regular basis may thus act as a cognitive enhancer promoting creativity in inexpensive and healthy ways”. Additionally, a study in 2014 reveals that humans tend to be more creative while walking rather than while sitting down. Lastly, surrounding yourself with shades of blue has been proven in research to compel people think more creatively. Referred to as color psychology, colors hold impacts on the human brain and our capabilities. Blue encourages people to think outside of the box and is heavily associated with nature and tranquility, which may delineate why it tends to allow for people to feel more secure while exploring their minds creatively.
3. Do not fight against writer’s/creative block.
As writers and creators, we will all inevitably hit a dead point in our works. The cognitive part of our brains become worn out after exercising its use for extended periods of time, just like how anything else in the world becomes tired eventually. It is vital to remind yourself that taking breaks is completely admirable. In fact, generating a distance between yourself and your work has been proven to allow for creators to revisit the issue again later with more creative energy than before. Have you ever heard of the theory that our most creative and innovative ideas come to us while we are showering? The next time that you find yourself facing a creative block, do not hesitate to step away temporarily from whatever you are working on and replenish yourself!
4. Allow yourself to be bored.
We live in a world where entertainment and distraction is always a simple click, tap, or scroll away. Now, the thought of spending time alone and without distractions would make most people’s skin crawl. However, what if we actually allowed for ourselves to experience boredom rather than incessantly attempting to fill the void with alternative distractions? As many may not think, our most creative and unorthodox thoughts oftentimes actually transpire while we are not engaging in anything in particular, are experiencing boredom, or are in solitude. Boredom should not be pegged as a negative thing such as it has been made out to be. Contrastingly, boredom actually reinforces creative thinking because it sends a signal that the current situation is lacking and speculating for more ideas/inspiration assists in overcoming that, according to Kendra Cherry of Very Well Mind. Secondly, boredom leads to daydreaming which activates an abundance of creativity. Unplug, mute, isolate, allow yourself to hear your own thoughts, and see the world around you with your own eyes. You will be amazed at what you can bring to light.
5. Record any new ideas that come to you in the moment they occur.
I cannot calculate the enormous amount of times when I have had a highly creative thought arise and told myself in the moment, “I will come back to that later”, and then later arrives and my thought is gone with the wind. It is upsetting to imagine the missed opportunities that I have slipped by from losing grip of these quick thoughts that come and go. Avoid this if feasible. Instead, preserve each of these thoughts as they appear; Capture now, evaluate later. It could be as simple as a short synopsis in your smartphone notes, or a quick jot-down in a pocket-sized writing pad. Capturing ideas as they come about is a thoroughly beneficial ingredient to enhancing creativity. As you begin another project in the future, you will thank yourself for the ideas that you noted during past moments as they can act as huge step forward in your work.
I hope that these five helpful tips will be a handy aid in your future creative works!