Have you ever hit a creative wall? After producing countless
creative products you finally come to a point where you feel your creative cup
is empty. This happens to everybody, not just in the creative field; runners,
even body builders can hit their wall. How can you get over the wall though?
There is no definite answer, some things will work for you, and others may work
for your colleagues. Here are five good tips on how to stay creative when you
come against that wall.
Crowds of Creative People
Colleagues, friends, family, neighbors find people that
stimulate your brain and make you see the world through a new pair of eyes.
When you surround yourself with people who share the same passion as you, you will
begin to notice new and possibly innovative ways to conquer problems and
hopefully, chip away at that wall.
Challenge Yourself
This seems impossible if you are stuck in a rut right? Challenge yourself to pay your bills early, or to go to bed earlier, or drink more water. It doesn’t need to be creative. Learning to challenge yourself in seemingly minute aspects of your life may be a way to challenge yourself to power through the creative wall and create a superior product.
Never Stop Learning
Possibly the most important, the world doesn’t stop evolving
after you get out of school, in fact, it moves faster. In a creative
profession, designs, trends and standards are rapidly changing and getting
re-worked into the next big thing. If you are resistant to learning and don’t
keep on top of these trends, you will feel stagnant and lose your drive to be
innovative and to push the envelope.
Get Outside
When you sit and think about a problem too long, it becomes
bigger and eventually consumes your reality. Turning off your computer and
spending time with your family and friends is a healthy step to rejuvenating
your creative juices. Going out on your lunch break, taking a walk, getting
fresh air, and seeing new things can also improve your ability to overcome the
creative wall.
Try Something Different
As Seth Godin says "Poke the box", try something new. The worry of failure
shouldn’t be a reason not to try, because if you don’t try, then you have
already failed. This seems like a no-brainer, but is a very difficult task for
many who fear the possibility of trying and not succeeding. When you do the
same thing over and over your process becomes repetitive, boring and your creativity
suffers. Doing something different you have the ability to try something out,
and if it doesn’t work you have a better idea of what won’t work and what to do
better next time.
