Break Up with Your Creative Block

It happens to the most creative of minds. One month, the creative flow is unimpeded and you're leaping tall projects in a single bound, a red "S" blazing in your mind. The next month, it feels like kryptonite has poisoned your thought processes and you're paralyzed -- Doomsday has reared his ugly head again.

Whatever you call it - creative block, writers block, mental constipation - there are a number of helpful ways to overcome it.

• First of all, don't beat yourself up - even the freest thinkers get bogged down at times. Inspiration takes time and comes at the most unlikely times, like in the shower. Creativity happens when you least expect it. Keep a sketchpad with you for when you have flashes of greatness.
• When and where are creative blocks happening? See if a pattern emerges, or if it's a random occurrence. Keep track of it and see if there's a particular trigger or circumstance - do rainy days and Mondays always get you down?
• Design (or write) freestyle for several minutes without judgment. Try giving yourself a theme and just go for it. Sometimes when you lower your daunting expectations, great things happen.
• Give yourself a new persona - how would John F. Kennedy have designed this logo? Taking a walk in someone else's shoes might help you redefine the problem and give you a fresh perspective.
• Have a "blow out session" - brainstorm like crazy, sketch or write your ideas down, and then walk away, disconnect and do something mundane. Come back later and revisit your ideas.
• Create many different scenarios or steps rather than limiting yourself. If you have multiple possibilities it takes the pressure off finding the perfect solution or design.
• Think about your blocks in a different way. Look at them as a way to inspire growth, rather than an end-all, be all situation. Run with an idea that inspires you, even if it's unrelated to your current project, and see if you can fire up your creative channels.

Overall, keep your creative mind charging by sponging up your environment - see movies, read books, go to art galleries, the theater, the symphony. Your never know where your next inspiration will come from!

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