Peer mentoring is a valuable way to exchange ideas, feedback, and support with someone who shares your goals and challenges. But sometimes, you may face a creative block that prevents you from generating or developing original solutions. How can you overcome this obstacle and help your peer mentor do the same? Here are some effective strategies to try.
One way to break out of a creative rut is to look at the problem from a different angle. You can do this by asking yourself or your peer mentor some questions that challenge your assumptions, such as: What if you had unlimited resources? What if you had to do the opposite of what you planned? What if you had to explain your idea to a child? These questions can help you discover new possibilities and spark your imagination.
Another way to overcome a creative block is to expose yourself to new sources of inspiration. You can do this by reading, watching, or listening to something that relates to your topic, or something that is completely different. You can also browse online platforms, such as Pinterest, Behance, or TED, that showcase creative work from various fields and disciplines. You can share your findings with your peer mentor and discuss how they can inspire or inform your own ideas.
A third way to overcome a creative block is to use some brainstorming tools that can help you generate and organize your thoughts. You can use tools such as mind maps, word associations, or SCAMPER (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse) to explore different aspects of your problem or idea. You can also use tools such as sticky notes, whiteboards, or online apps to capture and visualize your ideas. You can collaborate with your peer mentor and use these tools together to create and refine your solutions.
I love the Oblique Strategies app for mental blocks of whatever kind. It's a great challenge to look at an issue differently.
A fourth way to overcome a creative block is to take a break from your project and do something else for a while. You can do something that relaxes you, such as meditation, yoga, or music, or something that energizes you, such as exercise, gaming, or socializing. You can also do something that stimulates your curiosity, such as learning a new skill, visiting a new place, or trying a new activity. Taking a break can help you clear your mind, reduce your stress, and recharge your creativity.
Creative blocks are rarely overcome whilst sitting at your desk. Go for a walk, ideally in a natural environment, without distractions like music or podcasts. Just let your mind wander, and inspiration will come. Make sure to have a note app or voice memo app ready to catch whatever comes to mind.
A fifth way to overcome a creative block is to seek feedback from your peer mentor or other people who can offer you constructive criticism and fresh insights. You can ask them to share their opinions, suggestions, and questions about your problem or idea. You can also ask them to challenge you, praise you, or support you, depending on what you need. Seeking feedback can help you improve your work, gain confidence, and overcome doubts.
A sixth way to overcome a creative block is to experiment and iterate with your problem or idea. You can do this by testing your assumptions, trying different approaches, and making changes based on your results. You can also do this by prototyping, sketching, or modeling your idea and seeing how it works in reality. You can involve your peer mentor in this process and ask them to help you evaluate and improve your experiments. Experimenting and iterating can help you learn from your failures, discover new opportunities, and refine your solutions.
Remember! Why you started in the first place. Deviating from purpose not only drains our energy but also fogs up our instincts ultimately pushing our focus. Creativity is a result of talent, acquired knowledge, resources at hand, and above all determination. A creative block is lifted once these factors evolve. Lastly, lets not forget we are humans. We share and absorb emotions that influence our creativity. We need to keep our mental state and health in check. May be what you consider as a block is a warning sign that your brain needs some time off!