A blank page, an empty canvas, or a looming deadline can be an intimidating thing. Often it seems that just getting started and beginning something new is the most difficult part. Sometimes, it’s in the middle of a project where we just feel stuck. So, what do you do when you feel the creative juices dry up and the reservoir of inspiration empty?

Creativity is both a natural ability and a learned skill. Solutions and inspiration are all around us but so often we are distracted from finding it. 

Let’s look at the most common blocks that hinder inspiration.

Interruptions

Not only do constant interruptions ruin your creativity, but they also ruin your productivity. If you are regularly interrupted you are less likely to complete projects in a timely manner or it may even cause you to give up, and not finish them at all. Interruptions break your focus, causing you to spend extra time re-engaging with the thought processes needed to complete complex work.

Managing interruptions actually comes down to time management. The key to controlling interruptions is to know what they are, whether they are necessary, and to plan for them.

Not every interruption needs your immediate attention. 

• Allocate time where you are not to be interrupted.
• Turn off your phone during focused work.
• Learn to say, “No.”

Perfection

The heart of perfectionism is fear. The fear of not living up to expectations, being ridiculed, and failure. There is vulnerability in creating something new and sharing it with others. This fear of vulnerability is especially crippling if you work in a creative field where you’re expected to put yourself out in the public eye. 

I believe the unwillingness to be vulnerable and fear of failure is why so many artists, musicians, and writers never produce their great works to share with the world. Sadly resigning themselves to remain hidden, working unfulfilling jobs and living lives of quiet desperation.

What if you could put aside that fear of vulnerability?
These are some methods to work around perfectionism:

• Just get started – Prepare and create a ritual to trigger your body to begin
• Focus on making more work, more writing, more painting & sketches – keep producing.
• Change your expectations. There is only one you, and no one in the world will ever create anything the way you do. 
• It’s ok to change directions.
• Ask yourself objectively if your work is as bad as your anxiety thinks it is.
• Ask yourself what the worst possible scenario may be. Is it really that bad or are you blowing it out of proportion?
• What will you gain or lose if you put yourself out there? Will you gain anything if you do nothing?

Impatience

We’ve all experienced the frustration from impatience. 

Impatience is having a goal and realizing it will take more effort and time to attain it than what we originally anticipated. The resulting irritation and frustration can cause us to lower our efforts or switch goals. If you’re wondering why you can’t seem to finish any projects, it’s probably because you were too impatient and were distracted. Sometimes, you’re inspired to start something new before you’ve completed your current project. You may be dreaming of writing a book while working on a painting, so, you either speed up the painting or you put it aside to work on the book. 

These are some methods to help overcome impatience:

• Clearly define your goal.
• Outline the steps and expectations to reach this goal.
• Consider if it’s actually attainable (if not, change your goal so it’s within your ability).
• Create a timeline / deadline. 
• Reduce environmental distractions.
• Keep a notebook to write down distracting non-related thoughts and ideas so you may attend to them later.
• Take breaks to prevent burnout.

Hopefully, by learning about these various blocks to your creativity, and trying these different techniques and tactics, you’ll have more and greater ideas, discover new ways to organize, and be more productive.

Have fun being creative!