5 things I do to get out of a creative slump
As an artist, it can be challenging to be creative all the time. There are some things I like to do to help me out of creative slumps to get me inspired and ready to get back into it. Here are 5 of them:
- Make bad art
Giving yourself the freedom to create without worrying about the outcome is so helpful. Grab a sketchbook and just doodle, experiment with shapes and colours, and just play. Letting go of perfectionism does me so much good and often gives me ideas for future projects.
- Get active
Moving your body helps so much, this could be running, dancing, walking, yoga, a full workout, whatever you prefer. I find that a change of scenery and a bit of running can clear my mind and get me back in the creative zone.
- Write down everything
Sometimes it’s hard to get into creative work because there are too many ideas going around my head and just deciding where to start can give me decision paralysis. So, getting it all down on paper helps me find a starting point or makes one idea stand out above the rest.
- Don’t force it
The more you try to force it the more blocked you’ll become. Just do something else, something more mundane like washing up or cleaning your space. Doing these boring tasks allows my mind to spend some time thinking about the current project and usually helps me to get back into it more productively.
- Make lists
I love lists. Often, what’s blocking you is that the task just seems too big and you don’t know where to start. Make a list of everything that needs to be done in much smaller chunks – instead of thinking ‘I need to finish this whole painting’ list ‘paint the sky, add details to the field, finish painting the tree’. You can then tackle it bit by bit.
I hope this helps – let me know of any other things you do to break through a creative block ★
