"What do I write about, next?"
"Will people resonate with the topic I am writing about?"
"Is this even relevant?"
"Umm...what would be a better word for say, blah?"
We hit these creativity blocks whenever we are writing or creating any sort of content.
The truth is creativity ain't easy. Some people are born with design and creativity in their blood, whilst others acquire it through learning and training.
Whatever the case, we have all been there. Writer's block. Creativity chakra blocked. Stuck on a word. Stuck on an idea. Or worse no idea, at all.
I have been there, too, and I have found my way out of it, as well.
From ZERO ideas to well over 7-8 topic and design ideas, every time I hit the wall. And today, I am going to share with you how to make that happen.
The first part of it is knowing IT IS POSSIBLE and being OPEN TO THE IDEA.
So, let's start.
How to be creative?
Clear and open spaces are a must to boost creativity. This is the number one mantra to get your creativity boosted.
Contrary to popular notion, creativity cannot manifest in places that are disorganized, totally haywire, sloppy, and in some real need of cleaning.
And I am not only talking about the space you are working in; the person creating the content (writing or design) should also feel great inside-out.
In order to boost creativity, the first step would be:
How cutting clutter can boost creativity?
The moment you start cleaning up the spaces around you, starting from the desk where you have been typing away, to the room where your desk sits, and slowly working your way outwards to the other rooms one by one, you will see the magic unfold. Trust me, this DigiWitch knows her magic well.
Try to have your desk somewhere away from your bed or bedroom, altogether. Your study should be somewhere which opens up your mind, next to the window or in an uncluttered corner.
If you have the tendency to get distracted by sounds or people moving about on the roads, then skip the window and make your study face a wall, a white wall, if you can. You can always decorate the white wall with colorful Post-its to not only make it look alive but also keep important information, points to note, and to-do's, right in front of you, till it's done.
This not only boosts your creativity but also makes you a more efficient person. This is something I have done to my study, as well, and it brings you proven results.
How does this step help?
For creativity to manifest, you need to have an open mind. Open is the keyword here. This openness can only be achieved when you do not have an object of distraction lying every 6 inches for every inch of your step, inside your home/workspace.
It's simple, a clean home is a habitat for good things to take place. It boosts positivity, confidence, and the ability to think clearly. It might seem like a bit of a task, initially, but I promise you, you will indeed start seeing results almost immediately.
When you try this step and see the results, please leave me a comment and let me know how it helped you. Be one of the gladiators to win this battle and share your experiences with your fellow gladiators to jump into the arena, as well.
Quick tip: Every morning when you wake up, make it a point to make your bed, almost immediately. Once you put in the effort to make your bed, you will refrain from sliding into it and procrastinating your day's chores or even writing in your bed, as it might spoil your hard work. Thus, making you stay away from the sleeping district.
Take notes continuously
Creative people will often swear by the fact that most of their ideas come to them when they are not even looking for them. The shower happens to be one of the favorite places where amazing ideas like to hang around.
To address this issue, work on your short-term memory, as well as your note-taking skills. There are a number of cute and useful note apps on AppStore and PlayStore. Use them.
Make it a point to jot down the ideas you come up with as soon as you have them. You will have plenty of time to build upon them when you are actually writing/working/creating.
I use Notes on my Mac. It's literally a lifesaver when it comes to saving my ideas from getting lost in space before I even have a chance to work on them.
Tap. Type. Save.
And you are done.
How to stay motivated?
Many of us feel motivated when we are competing against someone or competing for a certain prize. It is just instant motivation to put in our best efforts.
Even in the case of slot machines, in a way you are competing against the person who comes in next on the machine, hoping you will hit the jackpot and take it home, instead of the person who plays on it next.
But I will give you a tip on instant motivation, which will help you not only at your work but your life, as a whole. It will make you more efficient, and productive, and make you feel alive and active.
The trick is to compete with yourself and your capabilities.
We often don't acknowledge the real things we are capable of. It won't happen till we push our boundaries. I know these words seem a bit quotes-y but it does work. It has worked for me.
All you need is to time yourself. The only 2 things you need to compete against yourself are to:
Time your work
Create good work
Putting a time constraint on yourself doesn't mean creating shoddy work. It means you are adding excitement to your otherwise mundane tasks. Beat your usual time and quality of work. Be so good!
If you did something 1 hour earlier try to do it in 45 minutes or 30 minutes.
Tell yourself, I will get this done by 1.45 pm (The current time being 1 pm, for example). Clear goal. Don't just say 10 minutes, 30 minutes, etc. specify the exact time.
In order to ensure you get it done in the said time, you will end up focusing much better and that will do a world of good to your work.
We cannot sacrifice quality for the sake of time, ever. The quality of our work defines us, so we cannot compromise on it.
Stay motivated
The best part about this is there are so many resources sorted by industries and types from where you can source motivational quotes pertaining to your subject of interest.
Here are a few quotes by me that inspire me and I go back to them every now and then.
Ever noticed how quotes increase engagement on any given post?
That is because the millions of people who see certain quotes on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, need that particular quote at that specific point in time. It resonated with them.
Keep yourself motivated. Read quotes by famous people who have seen the world and shared their learning with us in short, witty lines.
It is certainly a gift that you can enjoy, share, and use to boost your creativity.
Why learning continuously is so important?
You can't keep building new structures on an old and dated foundation. You need to keep making the foundation, stronger, sturdier, and more dependable.
The same goes for your knowledge in your area of interest, as well. The better you get at it, the easier will be to create new, fresh, and relevant content on it.
We are so lucky to be blessed with so many online, digital, and live resources like Skillshare, and learn-at-your-own-pace certification courses, for example, the free courses on Hubspot and the subscription-based ones like LinkedIn Learning that come with the premium account.
We need to have some real excuse to not use these amazing digital resources that are available to us.
Another great place to keep learning is social media. Following the people you admire can shed a lot of light on how you should approach your work and perspective to ensure success in what you do. Follow them on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Medium, read their blogs, and learn from their experiences and ideas.
Sign up for newsletters of value-rich resources. Keep updating and upskilling yourself. You have no idea the amount of good it can do to not only your work but to you as a person.
Learn. Learn. Learn.
The day we stop learning is the day we are dead. Period.
When you keep learning new things, creativity isn't far.
Why you should not force creativity?
Ever heard of the saying "Happiness is like a butterfly?"
It goes like this:
"Happiness is like a butterfly: the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder."
The same can be said for children, creativity, and money. However, it does not apply to success. So keep chasing success.
I digress.
Do not ever chase creativity.
Do not force your mind to think creatively.
Do not keep thinking about why you aren't getting good ideas.
Let it go.
Take a deep breath.
Follow step 1 above, a.k.a, clean your room and then take a shower WITHOUT thinking about the creativity shock you are suffering from.
Do not expect bright ideas to come barging through the roof and all of a sudden when you are least expecting it, it will come in its most brilliant and stunning manner.
You will be pleasantly surprised when you let creativity do its own thing, so let it be. Until that time follow the rest of the steps mentioned above.
Quick Tip: If you know Reiki, or someone who does it, or believe in this alternative healing method, give some energy to your Sacral (Creativity) Chakra and see instant results.
I hope this article has been helpful to you. I really do.
I have faced problems like writer's block and creativity blockages from time to time, but these are the steps that helped me get out of it over time.
I use these tips not only to create content for myself but for my clients, as well.
The reason my work is appreciated is that people often say they feel like I am speaking to them through the articles. That is all about being empathetic. I am writing this article so that it benefits you, exponentially.
A world where every person thinks freely, positively, and creatively is the world we all would love to live in and this article is my bit towards creating that world.
If you think this post helped you in any way, you liked it, or someone you know might benefit from it, please like and share it.
If there are any tips on creativity that you would like to share with me, please leave a comment. I would love o hear from you.
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