Creatives need to remain creative, come rain or shine.

We have to do our own motivating — that’s tough on a brain.

Energy ebbs and flows. Some days it’s tough to muster and we’ve read all the things to keep us from entering the creative block twilight zone.

🔍 Related: The power of shaking stuff up

So what can we do?

My personal favourite ways to retain creativity involve not being forced to be creative.

That’s the hard bit. If you’re sitting at a desk in an ‘I don’t want to be doing this’ mindset it’s a losing battle. If you’re at your desk in a more positive head space, you’re winning.

No wait, this is the hard bit. How do you get to that head space?

I could sit here for hours coming up with ways to do that, but everyone is different with different ways of dealing with things. So here’s how I handle a lack of creative motivation;

Getting off topic

First one, it’s a classic. Getting away from a desk and screens — an oldy, but a goody. Being away from a work setting really helps get your brain away from the need to churn.

The need to churn is what makes us unproductive.

Not churning

Doing something else creative that doesn’t feel like a chore. In my spare time I enjoy film, digital and drone photography as these don’t feel hard to do, it takes me to another creative way of thinking — and it still keeps my creative fires burning.

Get out

Being outside. Another classic, but it’s soooo good for giving your eyes a break, getting some exercise (which is another helpful thing) and turning your focus outwardly.

Basically, go away from what you’re doing, even though you’re not at your desk, because the creative brain is always working, it’ll be ticking away in the background. This is when I get my best ideas.

And finally…

As well as these instant changes you can make, be sure to follow healthy daily habits.

Unhealthy ones including excessive social media use, not enough sleep, eating the wrong things, too much screen time, you know the drill.

Fill these up with; putting your phone away and taking breaks but filling the time with high value distractions.

These will take practice as willpower is limited, do them every day, make them your normal.

I hope some of these tips were helpful.

=====