Writers' Block? Here are 8 Ways to Find Your Creative Mojo

Staring at a blank page, a million pressing thoughts race through your mind while you pick up the phone every two minutes for a quick dopamine hit. Sound familiar?

Welcome to Creative Burnout. We're here thanks to being overstimulated in all the wrong ways. But for people who need to keep coming up with fresh ideas, that noise is pretty counterproductive. With no down-time, the brain keeps running loops around the same thoughts and concepts like a lab rat looking for the illusive cheese.

It doesn't help that there's continuous pressure to show up on social platforms for "exposure." Is it any wonder we feel tapped out, unable to dig deep enough to fill pages with authentic vulnerability?

The solution, experts tell us, stems from boredom. It's critical for our subconscious so that our brains can continue processing the problems from our conscious hours.

But when we're living in a perpetually "on" environment, what can we do to induce this elusive thing called boredom (that we've been trained to shy away from) and top up the creative tank?

How to Combat the Dreaded Writers' Block

1. Step away from the screen

There's no getting away from them. It's no accident that as soon as I force myself to leave the laptop and phone behind, solutions to all kinds of problems suddenly occur to me out of nowhere.

Neurologically speaking, boredom has an important function in brain health. When we're not "doing", the brain falls back into a default mode, not only giving it a much needed rest, but also allowing ideas to germinate and flourish.

Look for inspiration away from the screen.

2. Interact with humans

Tempted to cancel that get-together with a friend because you have too much work on? Don't!

Go along and chat, discuss world affairs or banter meaninglessly. We are social beings. We need face-to-face social interaction for our mental well-being.

And not only is it good manners to talk to your friends about things that interest them, it can also also throw up the odd gem in terms of re-filling the ideas bank. Details from random subjects may be just the nudge you need to solve a story problem of your own, or may even trigger a whole new project.

3. Get Moving

We already know about the physical, emotional and mental benefits of exercise. Even something as simple as going for a walk makes the brain switch gears, gets the pistons firing, and allows you to see the same issues from a different perspective.

4. Cleaning

Before I had a dishwasher, I can't tell you how many times I had a major break-through while scouring pots and pans. Any cleaning will do, take your pick. I'm reasonably sure there is a constant demand at your house for some form of light or vigorous cleaning. Sorting stuff definitely counts too.

It's basically a chewy toy for your brain.

Distract your brain from the problem you're mentally struggling with and, like magic, a solution will appear. Or, you'll have a marvellously clean house.

5. Listening to music

This is one of my favourites. Lot of people rely on music to get them in the zone; some even compile a sound track for the project they're working on. Personally, I cannot work when any kind of music with lyrics is playing, so I've usually got something unobtrusive and instrumental going on in the background.

Pro-tip: Shamanic healing music with lots of chimes and Tibetan bowls is amazing for focussing attention.

6. Cross Pollination

Read, watch, go the theatre or an art gallery. Feed your creative soul via other mediums.

Getting outside of your creative comfort zone is a great way to add something fresh to projects and can inspire your work in surprising ways. I regularly visit art galleries–which is incidentally an activity that has also been proven to reduce stress levels. By chance, I stumbled into a photo exhibit that seemed to perfectly depict the quirky small town I'd been trying to write about. Serendipity? Maybe. It was just what I needed to get back on track.

Photo from Gregory Crewdson

7. Mind maps

Whether you want to go old school with paper and pen or a white board, or use an online workspace, mind maps are a great way to break out of linear-based thinking modes and add depth to your project.

Pro-tip: Creating a Pinterest board for a project is not simply a displacement activity! It can be really helpful in understanding a project from a visual point of view.

8. Get in water

There's something very inspirational about being in water. I could go on metaphorically about amniotic sacks and the birth canal, and there is most probably something very primal at work when we submerge ourselves in water. Suffice to say, water works wonders in unblocking the old creative chakras. .

What about you? How do you get over writer's block and reignite creativity?

Story Inkubator was founded by writer, scriptwriter and teacher, Kristina Jilly, an Australian living in Central Europe who's written for HBO Europe and RTL Television. A teacher at the University of Applied Sciences in Upper Austria, Kristina also writes online content about the art of storytelling and topics that inspire creativity. 

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