Written by: Ariel Grace Snapp, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Have you ever found yourself staring at a blank page or canvas with a creative project deadline looming over your head? Have you found that, at times, your creative flow just cannot be forced?
It’s common for everyone to face periods when they just can’t access the creativity they usually rely on in a certain way. The good news is that there are many playful practices you can try that can help you get unblocked and back in your groove!
Before diving into solutions, let's explore what creative blocks are and why they occur. Research by psychologist Teresa Amabile shed light on the intricacies of creativity and how external and internal factors can stifle it (Amabile, 1996). It's crucial to recognize that creative blocks are part of the creative process; even the most celebrated artists face them.
A creative block is around your perception that you cannot gain access to inspiration, knowledge, and the desire to use your craft for the project or task at hand. Sometimes, the scale of the project or vision can feel overwhelming and you can get lost finding the next step. If you only remember one thing from this article, remember that some things may just need to happen at a different time. Learning to let go when something just won’t budge can be a helpful option. That said, on a smaller scale, some projects must happen. Here’s what you can do.
Acceptance is the first step to overcoming creative blocks. This is easier said than done perhaps, but try not to be too hard on yourself. When you allow yourself to stop trying to force something, it creates space for you to discover what will help you reset and get
clear.
Top ways to clear creative blocks
Create something different. Often, if we shift the way we are creating, or try a different way of creating that uses different parts of our brains; like doodling with the opposite hand from the one we write with, we can shift neural pathways stuck in a rut.
Become aware of your mood and emotions. Creativity flows with any emotion, but certain emotional states can sometimes impact or influence your creative access. Start to pay attention to your feelings, address what you need, and allow yourself to feel better before trying to return to the project.
Renegotiate the deadline. How certain are you that your deadline is fixed? Sometimes it is, no doubt. However, typically we can work within a reasonable timeframe if we take the pressure valve off and find a way for the work to become fun again.
Shift your mindset. What was the reason that it became so serious, so not joyful? Taking the time to rediscover the ways to approach the work from a playful perspective can help shift the energy.
Don’t despair or compare. Often we get lost or blocked because we are allowing too many outside influences into our space and clouding our sense of what we need to do or create. Carve out some space to get yourself reset and release the idea that you need to do what anyone else is doing.
Take a break, and get moving. Our bodies are the gatekeepers for our ability to see things from a different perspective. If we don’t move them in healthy ways, we can get sluggish and stagnant and this can impact our mood, emotions, and ability to create at our best. Even better, get out in nature, which has a profound impact on our cognitive processes and can serve as a powerful remedy for creative blocks.
Mindful meditation. Research by Colzato, Ozturk, and Hommel (2012) indicates that mindfulness meditation can enhance creative thinking. Incorporate mindfulness practices into your routine, whether it's through meditation, deep breathing, or yoga. A calm and focused mind is more receptive to creative impulses.
Remember, creative blocks are not roadblocks, they are simply detours on your artistic journey. Embrace the challenges, shift your mindset, move your body, and explore the wonders of nature and mindfulness. Cultivate patience, with time, things will re-ignite in exactly the way they need to, and perhaps the timing was just not quite right for you to finish that project just yet.
If you’d like to receive support from Ariel Grace check out her Be as Art Business Immersion for creatives ready to jumpstart their next iteration of their career or creative business.
Ariel Grace Snapp, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Ariel Grace Snapp has always been a multi-passionate creative balancing service and the expressions of her soul. She’s a coach for creatives, a tech creative director, intuitive and MacroFloral photographer and host of the Creatively Free podcast. She is particularly interested in co-creating new, collaborative ways to solve social challenges across different sectors. As founder of the Be as Art Business Academy, she offers a depth based journey of the mystical and practical tools for creatives and sensitive people that are ready to birth and scale their huge creative, mission driven projects.
References:
Amabile, T. M. (1996). Creativity in context: Update to the social psychology of creativity. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Colzato, L. S., Ozturk, A., & Hommel, B. (2012). Meditate to create: the impact of focused-attention and open-monitoring training on convergent and divergent thinking. Frontiers in Psychology, 3, 116.
