There are lots of reasons we can experience creative blocks, be they “design ruts” or “writers blocks” or any other creative challenge we face, more this year than others for most of us. The blank page, an empty canvas, these things can be intimidating when we have a lot on our minds, when we’re running low on creative juices. Even the most imaginative among us will get stuck sometimes, so it’s important to remember your ability or inability to create on demand is not a reflection on you or your skills. Instead, think of a block as an opportunity to rediscover your own creativity and exercise your mind. Here are a few of our favorite ways to escape creative blocks:

1. Change your scenery
Staring at a blank page for an extended period of time rarely gets the creative juices flowing so consider getting up, moving around, and changing where you’re working. A new setting might be just the thing to stimulate the imaginative part of your brain and get you unstuck.

2. Work in reverse
If you’ve been working with the mindset of the “creator” for too long, it can be helpful to shift into the mind of the consumer, ask yourself what you might want to see if you were the receiver of this project, what information you might want to glean from this material. For example, if you’re designing to sell a product, ask yourself what information you would like most to see on an advertisement (price, value, etc.), start with these things as your focal points and work backward around them.

3. Discuss with others
One of the very best ways to escape a creative rut is to discussion the project with someone else. A fresh perspective and an opportunity to explain your desires and goals refreshes and helps focus the mind – if you’re really blocked, reach out to someone for fresh opinions and to help focus your own thoughts.

4. Take a break
Sometimes, working too hard or concentrating for too long drains us of our ability to do good work. Take a moment to get outside your own head, hydrate, maybe get a little exercise and come back to your work refreshed and you might find the creative juices already flowing again.

5. Ask for help
If, after everything else, you’re still suffering from empty-canvas syndrome, consider bringing an expert in to assist. You are not an island, and you don’t need to work alone if it becomes too overwhelming. CW Print + Design has graphic designers on hand to assist for just the reason. To get started, contact us today.

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If you’re experiencing a block, just know you’re not alone. Creativity is not a static resource but ebbs and flows, making it perfectly normal to experience moments of drought just as there are moments of overflowing inspiration. We encourage you to try new things and wish you all the best in escaping whatever kind of blocks you might experience and if you still need it, know you can always contact us for help.