A lot of jobs require a certain amount of creativity.
Blogging, marketing, teaching – so many jobs. Hobbies do, too. Just so many things in our lives, haha.
I notice that sometimes I don’t do such a great job with my art, my crochet, or this blog when I’m stuck in a creative rut.
Maybe you’re a creative person who has a job and/or hobby that requires creativity. And if you are, chances are you’ve been in a creative rut before too.
So today I thought I’d share 9 things that you can do to stay creative when you’re in a rut. I hope you find them helpful!
1- Practice every day.
This is something we all know, but sometimes you need to remember to actually do it. Practicing your craft or hobby (or whatever) every day can keep your skills sharp and keep your mind creative. If you’ve ever taken a break from something for a long period of time, you might have experienced this. It’s pretty simple: if you want to be great at something, you need to practice. This goes for athletes, artists, actors, writers, chefs – pretty much everything.
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2- Work with others.
Creativity can be contagious. I know from my own experience that collaborating with other creative people can help get my creative juices flowing. You can collaborate by working on a project or starting something new together, helping each other out with certain parts of your work, and giving each other feedback for advice – there are many different ways to collaborate but they can all be helpful.
3- Try a different hobby.
For some people, blogging or painting is a hobby – but for me, I’m trying to make a career out of it. So when I need a break or need to get my creativity out in some other way, it’s helpful to have other hobbies. For example, I also like to read, crochet, or play video games. Taking a break from my blog to spend time on other hobbies allows me to refresh and change things up.
You might like: 30 Creative Hobby Ideas for Better Mental Health
4- Take a time out.
It’s simple, but if you’re stuck on a certain project or creative endeavor, sometimes the best thing you can do is step away from it for a little bit. I know that I just said that you need to practice every day, but sometimes all you need is to look at your work with fresh eyes and a clear mind. So let it sit for a day or two and then go back to it and try again.
5- Listen to some music.
Listening to music is probably the simplest and quickest way I get a little creativity boost. I’ve read that listening to classical music does the best for your creativity (I’ll have to try; I never have) but I know that any music that I enjoy works for me. It helps me loosen up and relax but at the same time, it gives me an energy boost and helps me concentrate better.
6- Make some time for self-care.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: when you’re not taking proper care of yourself, many different areas of your life can suffer. Including your creativity. It’s hard for me to even think clearly sometimes when I’m burned out and ignoring my self-care. I also want to say that meditation is a great way to practice self-care and get new creative ideas. It also gives your mind a break and allows you to clear out your thoughts and make room for new, fresh ideas.
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7- Enjoy what you’re doing.
Fun and creativity go hand-in-hand for me. I mean, pretty much everything is easier when you enjoy what you’re doing. If you have a project that you’re just really not into, find a way to make it fun and it’ll be easier for you. If you already enjoy what you’re doing, give yourself a break, relax, and really have fun with it. Take some pressure off yourself and you’ll be able to do better work.
8- Stop consuming & start doing.
Okay. This was one of the hardest things for me to get under control for the longest time. When I started blogging, I went a little crazy looking up ALL THE STUFF about the blog world. I was taking in way too much information and not creating enough. I honestly still go through bouts of this sometimes. In my opinion, this is not good for two reasons. 1) Not everything works for everyone. This is true for everything from blogging to drawing to sports. Find out what works for you by doing your own thang. 2) Consuming a bunch of info and taking no action on it is really a waste of time because you’re usually not even using what you’re learning.
9- (Try to) stay positive.
I know this is a little fluffy, but it’s true. I know I do my best work when I’m in my usual upbeat mood – definitely not when I’m stressed out and frazzled. This may not be true for everyone, but research has even shown that simply thinking of a positive emotion such as love can make you more creative. So do something to put yourself in a more positive mood. Simple things like exercising, journaling, or watching funny videos should work – whatever works for you.
You might like: 7 Tips for Being More Positive in Life
What do you think of this list? What are your favorite ways to stay creative? Let’s chat in the comments!
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