You’re stuck in a creative rut. How can you jumpstart your imagination?

Engaging your senses in the natural world is a wonderful way to jump-start imagination - exploring the ocean, a forest, and the mountains. The smells, sounds, colors, lighting, animals - there is so much to experience. Let your curiosity lead.

We often fall into mental ruts, creating "locks" that prevent us from seeing new solutions. Changing our environment is a powerful way to find the "keys" that break these mental patterns. Our brains are wired to form patterns based on our usual environment. New sights, sounds, and experiences break up these patterns, forcing your mind to make fresh associations and see things from new angles. The next time you feel creatively stuck, remember, the world around you is a playground for your imagination. All you have to do is explore it differently.

Cambiar de espacio hace que tengamos estímulos diferentes y fuentes nuevas de inspiración que desbloquean nuestra creatividad. En mi caso, me gusta mucho tomar café y la naturaleza así que asocio el ir a una cafetería con plantas o áreas verdes como un momento de relajación y donde soy libre para seguir explorando ideas.

Recently, I faced a creative block while working on a project. To stimulate my imagination, I decided to change my surroundings. I moved from my usual workspace to a cozy coffee shop and later spent time working in a serene park. The change in environment provided fresh perspectives and inspiration. I also rearranged my home workspace, adding plants and art while decluttering my desk. These changes made me feel more comfortable, energized, and curious. Sometimes, altering your surroundings can be the key to unlocking creativity and gaining new insights.

I've found running outdoors in stadiums and on grounds with running tracks great in restarting or unclogging my creative flow. Running on the road is not something I would recommend but if you don't have a stadium nearby and the traffic on the road you choose to run is very low, then you can go for it. But running in natural surroundings, where there is a lot of vegetation around you, is better. Go for long runs in the morning hours when you can get some good sun too. Physical workouts help in recharging your creative batteries. Disconnect from your phones for long durations and use some of that time for exercising. You can do them indoors or outdoors, as per your comfort levels.

Think of your creativity like an explorer who craves the thrill of the unknown, venturing into uncharted territory. Seek out experiences that leave you a touch bewildered – a TED talk on a mind-bending subject, a musical genre you've never considered, a class where you have zero experience. That initial confusion is where magic happens. It pushes your mind to forge new pathways, revealing hidden gems of inspiration. The wilder the journey, the richer the rewards.

This is a wonderful way to unlock your hidden creativity and get you out of a rut. Trying something new can open your mind to new possibilities and give you solutions in the unlikeliest of ways. For instance, if poetry is your main jam, painting can offer you new insights or themes to explore, and vice versa. Another great way to unlock creativity is physical activity - it could be dance, workout, or walking in a garden - the release of endorphins improves your mood and enhances your creativity.

When brainstorming with others start with individual brainstorm, then go into a group sharing round, then go back to individual. Keep one rule: to every idea say 'YES.AND'. It will build psychological safety and will encourage everyone to contribute. It is easier said than done, but key to effective brainstorming.

Here are a few ways! 1. The fifty boxes technique. Set your alarm for 10 minutes. Write out as many ideas as you can in 10 minutes, try to fill all the boxes! don't worry if they're not good ideas, just get them out. Then, compare your favourites with the other person. Bounce ideas off those! 2. Start with what you absolutely cannot do. What would be illegal? What is the worst idea you can have? Starting somewhere ridiculous can be a surprising bridge into something great!

Dos mentes piensan mejor que una definitivamente. Todas nuestras experiencias pasadas forman quiénes somos y cada experiencia es distinta, eso es lo interesante de trabajar con un equipo, cada quien tiene un punto de vista diferente y nuevas ideas que aportar. Por más que seas la persona más creativa del mundo, las ideas son infinitas y pueden estar en la mente de alguien más.

I would say : 1) Brainstorm with people having no link with your scope They will bring a different focus, ask genuine questions you never thought about. 2) Learn new things: maybe a new language or technology. Then you may think " Wow I can create using this and save time or open a new market." Careful to stay a creator not a "copy paster ". 3) Have breaks. Forget a bit about your problem and come back to it later having social/entertaining activities. Then you may have distance to fix it with new eyes. I advise photography or social artistic activities. Advantage: you will have another positive topic for conversation and people around you won't be fed up with your issues ??

Taking a break to do something completely different is a great way of getting unstuck. I've personally found that engaging in something routine or mundane, where I require little active engagement allows my mind to relax and wonder. It's in that state of rest that ideas start to flow again. I've also learnt that I shouldn't rush back to work when the ideas start coming. Rather, I give time for them to mature and become clearly defined as I continue in my activity. The most I'll do to capture them in the moment is to record a quick voice note.

Ever wonder why you get ideas in the shower? It's called mind wandering! There's a network in our brain that is only activated when we are engaged in passive, autopilot activities. This allows our brain to make use information stored in our brain to make connections we may not be able to make when we are actively engaged in thinking. This means that having a shower, doing the dishes, going for a walk - are all great ways to have ideas!

There is a little chance that you will take a break when you are stuck. Being stuck is frustrating and we want to get out of it, so we keep pushing but nothing happens. When the deadline is tight is difficult to relax even if we know it is best for us. Sometimes I nap, but can't nap, sometimes I try to meditate but it's not working. I am learning how to simply be in this uncomfortable mode and self talk myself that it is a part of creative process. Recently, doing mundane house work such as organising a wardrobe or cleaning helps to relax my mind.

Sometimes just being with the feeling of being blocked without trying to manipulate or change it can allow things to unwind. Validate and offer compassion to the experience. Lean into curiosity and take time to allow awareness to arise to best guide you.

Deja fluir tu curiosidad y tu mente para tener nuevas ideas haciendo...NADA. Cuando estás dando un paseo en el parque o en la playa o hasta cuando estás tomando una ducha, ?no te vienen mil ideas a la mente? esto es porque no tenemos presión, solo nos dejamos llevar. Confía en el proceso!

Creative people are like sponges. You have to soak up a certain amount of input juice before you can output juice. What inspires you? Galleries? Movies? Books? your loved ones? spend some time soaking that up and trust that once the juice is full, it'll get wrung out again.

Stop browsing. Stop looking for the inspiration on your screen. Get away from your desk and head to the nearest book store. Choose a section that is least familiar. Browse through random books looking at the text and images. See if you can form new connections between your task and the new random content.

Talking to friends can help sometimes. Just regular chit chats. If you want some perspective on your work, include that part. Otherwise, simply catching up can be enough to give your brain a little rest from cranking out words. Or set up a gaming session with friends if they can join. Unwind a bit. Watch a movie or listen to music if you don't want to chat. Take a walk. Check out some titles on your bookshelf that you would want to read. Read a few pages and see if you want to keep going on. If you play an instrument, learning something new or trying out old melodies could help you relax.

Go write something else. I mean write on some other topic or post on the social media platform of your choice. The idea is to do some other type of writing, one which is very different from the one you've got a writer's block in. You can also doodle, paint or do something that relaxes you and takes your mind away from the pressures of work.

To escape a creative rut, changing your environment can offer new perspectives. Engaging in new activities stimulates your brain. Brainstorming with others introduces different viewpoints. Taking a break allows your mind to reset. Seeking inspiration from art, nature, or books can spark ideas. Prioritizing fun reduces pressure, fostering creativity. Additionally, setting small, achievable challenges can motivate and gradually rebuild your creative confidence. Practicing mindfulness or meditation can also clear mental blocks, making room for fresh ideas. Remember, creativity is a cycle with ebbs and flows; embracing this natural rhythm can help you navigate through periods of stagnation.

All of the above ideas are great to become familiar with and practice on a regular basis. We are creative beings by definition and by nature. It is just nobody told you that. When I am stuck it is a sure sign that I have not been creative. There are habits that support our imagination and there are habits that don't serve us. Imagination is our essence. It is a mind that is not bound by limiting beliefs. Therefore, becoming aware of identifications with a certain shape, preconceived ideas of what it looks like is a stale sterile repetitive habit. Cultivate being in the unknown and not getting into a survival mode is a practice. Enjoy.

Mindset Check: Many times our creativity gets stuck because of how we think and feel about ourselves and our work. Perfectionism can have a debilitating impact on creativity and can be one of the major reasons for obstructing your creative flow. It is one thing to strive to improve your art and quite another to push yourself to meet impossible standards. Each individual has a unique creative process. There is joy in discovering it along the way. Whenever you're stuck while creating, reflect on why it is that you're stuck. Is it because you won't allow yourself to create what you think is not good enough? Then please go ahead and create without judgement. Allow yourself the freedom to make 'less than perfect' art.

J'ai tendance à croire que la créativité fait partie des compétences qu'on ne peut pas prétendre avoir du jour au lendemain, elle est innée. Les personnes créatives vont chercher le libre court à leur imagination dans chaque action du quotidien. La créativité est sans limite, mais surtout subjective. Il est bien évidemment important de partager vos idées avec vos pairs, mais le plus essentiel est de VOUS FAIRE CONFIANCE ! Il vous reste encore tellement d'horizons à découvrir et parcourir, alors prenez le temps d'être "bloqué", car c'est juste temporaire.