Being creative at work is not only for musicians, writers, poets and painters. It is an important skill set to stay ahead of the curve at the workplace. Creativity is not entirely innate. While some are gifted with a creative mind, a creative mindset is easier to cultivate – more on that in another article.
But come to think about it. You are probably already employing creative techniques in your daily life. Occasionally, to solve the tricky unsolvable problems or even to convince your bosses to adopt a new and a radical path. Out of the box thinking helps to stand out, be more effective and challenge status quo which results into some very positive outcomes. It refreshes the atmosphere and rejuvenates everyone involved. It is a real antidote to monotony.
But what do you do when your creative juices stop to flow?
Creative blocks occur when you find yourself stuck at the same spot. With no fresh ideas and approaches coming your way. A blank slate in front of you. No matter what you try, you throw up a blank page. This condition then leads to the feeling of being an impostor. Especially if you are the one who has come up with great ideas in the past. Was it all a fluke, you may think to yourself?
Creative thinking tends to be impaired by multiple factors. However, it is possible to get back into the creative zone with some effort.
Here are some of the ways which help me deal with creative blocks.
Take a Walk:
Back in Bombay, walking around the city used to be my favourite activity. But even in Bangalore, walking around lakes and the work-areas often helps to release the pressure off of my mind. As per Stanford study walking is known to make your brain more active and thus more conducive to think of tricky problems with a different perspective. If you are working on a thorny problem with a team – a walking brainstorming meeting may help.
Do a Menial Task
Focussing entirely on washing the dishes helps to build mindfulness. This helps the mind to focus more on the problem at hand subconsciously. Deeply thinking about the problem while performing a task which does not require any concentration helps to come up with some solutions. Washing dishes, taking a shower or tidying up my desk tends to help me often.
Talk to a friend
This, I admit, I picked up from House M.D. In the popular sitcom, Dr. House – medicine genius often has a eureka moment while discussing something totally unrelated with his friend – Dr. Wilson. Talking about something entirely different with a friend helps to spark ideas. This can lead to some epiphanies, though not always. If nothing, you end up passing time more fruitfully as opposed to scratching bad ideas and tossing them in the bin.
Take a Nap
Sleep is the best relaxant for the mind. Oftentimes your creative juices dry up owing to stress and burnout. A cosy nap helps to alleviate the stress of the day. Meditation also has a similar effect but you need to be a seasoned practitioner for it to work. Napping on the other is easy, a 30 min nap post lunch can work wonders. No wonder Wakefit introduced nap time at work with nap pods to boast recently.
Read Fiction
I tend to escape into the world of fiction and fantasy each time I sense inspiration is waning. Immersive reading of a world different from mine helps me to appreciate my world better. This helps to shape a different worldview which in turn sparks creative thinking.
An occasional block is acceptable. But if you find yourself arriving at this spot over and over again, then maybe then it is time to reflect on the underlying cause. Conflicts at the workplace, unsupportive environment, process heavy ways of working, disruptions in your personal life, mental health issues, stress and burnout could be some of the causes which you’d need to address. Talking to your loved ones, your trusted friends at work or a professional will help you additionally.
All the best!