Don't let your creativity get crushed with these roadblocks

“You cannot use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have”- Maya Angelou

That quote from Maya Angelou says a lot. In the kind of competitive world where we live in today, we all have found us in a state of mental block at some point of time or the other. But, is it really a mental block? Or, is it just a fabricated zone that we have created around our thoughts?

Throughout my career, I’ve been told by members of creative teams that they are in a state of mental block. They are no longer the creative thinker they used to be. And, i’ve read a lot on this topic. What I’ve figured out is that the mental block that we all find ourselves stuck in is nothing else but a state of mind. And, we can condition our minds to keep this situation at bay.

But, in order to do that we must know what the reasons behind this block in productivity? Why this condition arises? Well, here’s why -

Disbelief

I’ve met a number of people in my life, who I thought were amazingly creative, but chose to remain a wallflower because they did not believe in their ability. You’ve got to believe in yourself. Don’t let failures get to you. So what, you were not able to create a masterpiece in the first time. Whenever your mind is stuck in a state of disbelief because you were unable to do something, remember these words from Thomas Edison “I haven’t failed, I’ve just found a thousand ways that did not work”. Reading life stories of successful people, keeping such inspirational words within reach can help you keep disbelief at bay and keep the creative bug alive.

Overwhelm

Another major block that can robyou offyour productivity is having so much to do at work at one time. Not having an organized structure at work, handling multiple tasks at one time; all this can lead you into a situation where all you are left doing is working like a machine. But, don’t forget that human brain is not made to do multi-tasking. There are studies to support this fact. So instead of doing so many activities, focus on doing one thing at a time. This will help your creative juices to function and bring the best output at work. If you don’t have organized system, bring in a project management tool like ProofHub. These tools can help you streamline processes and focus on things in a more efficient manner.

Time

How many times in a day do you shout out at yourself - I don’t have time for myself? A  number of times, am I correct? That’s a real bad habit. If you don’t give your mind a little breather, then it is never going to get replenished with fresh thoughts. Working hard and long is good, but taking breaks is imperative. Take a stroll down to the cafeteria, sip a cup of coffee, get outside during the lunch break. All these small things can make a big difference in boosting your creativity. Give yourself some time, or else a few years down the line you will end up becoming a ZOMBIE at work.

Technology

Technology can be a roadblock in two ways. Firstly, you are using technology at all. Such a scenario would be like ‘others have landed on the moon, while you are still planning how to build a rocket’. You need to leverage technology. For instance, there are tools that can help you automate tasks. Why waste time doing things, which a software can do for you?

The second scenario is where you are using technology, but it is obsolete. In both these cases, you can get  a feeling of being left behind in the crowd, and get a sinking feeling. And, that can lead to a feeling of disbelief, which is ultimately going to impact your creativity as well as productivity.

Logic

Sometimes being stuck with the logic leaves you in doldrums. Creativity is never confined to logic. As it is commonly said in today’s world in corporate offices - think out of the box. The most creative ideas in the history have been the ones that have defied the logic. And, the most creative people have been the ones who have had the courage to go beyond the set boundaries. Who have come up with something that no one has ever heard or even thought of. If logic is something that’s blocking your creativity, then it is time to defy the logic. Let your creative bugs fly high in the sky!

Fear

Fear of failure. Fear of not knowing things. Fear of being a newbie. Fear of not being perfect. There can be all these fears, which are stopping you from doing something creative. And, you choose to go against your mind, which says to do that thing because of these fears. But, don’t forget that even the most successful creative people were new at their work once. No one learns to be a prodigy at something in a day. It takes years of practice, and willingness to never given up even when others think you cannot do it to become the best at something. If you are afraid of doing something, then pick yourself up. Get inspired and go all guns blazing at completing the task. And, I’m sure it won’t take long for you to understand that creativity is a habit. It won’t come to you unless you free your mind of the fears mentioned above.

In the work environment where we spend most of the time of our life, working day in and day out can suck up all the creativity out of you. That’s when things start to go south, and you no longer feel like the creative person that you were before. You find yourself stuck in a rut, and cannot seem to get out of it.

And, the factors mentioned above just add fuel to the fire, which can ultimately kill your productivity. If you don’t want that to happen, then just focus on the things mentioned above. And, have a happily creative life ahead of you!