Kickstart Your Creativity With These 4 Winning Strategies

Getting stuck in a rut doesn’t mean having to stay there.

Blank screens. Blank canvases. Untouched instruments. Empty workbenches.

Being in a rut sucks, right?

It happens to everyone at some time or another. You can either suffer in silence and possibly lose your love for your creative pursuits, or you can take some steps to revitalize and nurture your creative spirit.

Here are four strategies I and others have found great success with. Give some or all a try.

See what happens.

Get an analog hobby

I create using computers.

The majority of my writing happens online. I also spend hours each day with Photoshop and InDesign, putting together nostalgia pop culture books and industry journals.

It can be a bit much.

To relax and change things up, I take out a nicely bound book of blank graph paper and a zip bag containing some fancy pens, and I draw maps. Specifically, I draw the kind of maps one might use in fantasy roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons or Tunnels & Trolls. (A few times, I’ve even been known to try my hand at spaceship design for the game Traveller. Yes, I am a total nerd.)

The point is that having a hobby that doesn’t require plugging into anything helps refresh my mind. My workday is full of writing and page design. Burnout is a real risk.

By switching gears to a different sort of creative act during my downtime, I both broaden my skill set and relax while engaged in something associated with my love for roleplaying games.

I’ve also been known to go fishing when the opportunity presents itself.

For other folks, knitting and crocheting is the answer. You’d be amazed at how creative some people can get. Some of my novelist friends have really gotten into watercolors lately. A digital artist friend of mine has been putting together Japanese model kits. One of the technical publishers I work with is passionate about poetry.

Find a hobby that gets you away from your desk and computer. Enjoy the quiet contemplation that goes with it. And have fun.

Talk shop with friends and colleagues

I know gathering in public can still be a challenge these days. With masks and plenty of space between seats, it’s not entirely out of the question.

With videoconferencing software and group chat software like Discord and Slack, technology has given us the tools to get together with like-minded folks — pandemic or not.

The critical advice here is — however you do it — getting together with like-minded creatives is going to do wonders for building creative energy. It doesn’t matter if you’re all engaged in the same type of creative pursuits.

Whether it’s musicians talking with writers, painters interacting with poets, or jewelry smiths talking shop with blacksmiths, it’s all potential grist for the mill — creatively speaking.

Carry around a little notebook… always

I love little notebooks. I keep one in my car. I have one by the end table in the living room. There’s one on top of the fridge in the kitchen. There’s one on the nightstand. I buy cheap pens in bulk.

Of course, I could also take notes when inspiration suddenly hits me by typing it out on my phone into a notes app, but the tactile experience of pen to paper is something I respond to better.

The weird thing? When I’m done writing or drawing out my thoughts, ideas, or inspirations, I take a photo of it with my phone and mail it to myself.

Look… my process is probably a bit weirder than some, but the takeaway is me encouraging you to have a way to quickly record your thoughts as soon as they pop up.

Some of the best ideas I’ve ever had came in sudden flashes. The ones I recorded and returned to later stood a far better chance of becoming a reality than the ones I didn’t write down and promptly forgot.

Notebook, phone, specially trained parrot — whatever your method, get your ideas down as soon as they come to you. It will pay off.

Visit a gallery or museum

This is my “secret weapon.”

Whenever I need to feel energized creatively, I go to an art museum or gallery. I’m fortunate that the Rhode Island School of Design Museum is pretty close by and that I live in a community with a lively arts scene.

I can check out other people’s paintings, sculptures, pottery, and more at the drop of a hat.

I go for inspiration. I sometimes go for ideas. I never go just to copy someone else’s work, but I do get ideas from other people’s work that I can apply to my own art and writing.

Honestly, I can’t think of a single time I’ve ever walked out of a museum, gallery, or even arts and crafts festival without wanting to rush home and draw, write, or paint something.

Give it a shot.

I think you may be startled by how an hour or so of viewing art can revitalize your creativity. Just remember… don’t take photos of other people’s work without permission. If you must, write down the name of the artist and piece and look it up online. There’s a good chance you’ll find it if you need a reminder of what inspired you.

Taking control of your creativity

Some people sit around waiting for inspiration to strike. Others go out in search of it.

While sitting and waiting occasionally works, I’ve always found that taking an active hand in seeking inspiration and boosting one’s own creativity yielded far better results.

Give these suggestions a go and see what works best for you.

Thank you for reading. I’d love to share more with you via my Bi-Weekly Word Roundup newsletter sent to subscribers every other Sunday. It will feature news, productivity tips, life hacks, and links to top stories making the rounds on the Internet. You can unsubscribe at any time.