What to Do When Creativity Stops Flowing

I’ve spent the better part of twenty years managing creative teams. I can also be a bit creative myself. I’ve seen countless people give advice on creativity, how to create it, how to hold on to it, and how to turn it off.

One thing that many don’t get right is the idea that creativity is about pulling brand new ideas from the ether. The old saying is true - all of the ideas have been had. Creativity is finding new and novel ways to connect ideas. That state can definitely be created and the mind can be nurtured in order to be more susceptible to those connections - but there’s no magical creativity mantra.

Some of the more “interesting” recommendations I’ve heard recently have seemed off, which is what prompted this reflection. I’ve seen a “guru” recommend scrolling Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts with low views. Another wants you to filter out content published in the last 10 years under some belief that the internet was weirder up until 2015. I hate to break it to them, but the internet stopped being weird in the early 2000’s. Really.

So what works? There are a few, much more analog ways to get past a creative hump. 

Relax. The first method is to get yourself into a truly relaxed state. The cliché about the shower being where ideas show up is a cliché for a reason. When your brain isn’t being asked to perform or respond or react, it can start making the quiet connections you’ve been too busy to notice. Baths count too. Listening to music can as well (no lyrics if possible). Anything that lets the noise drop. 

Move. Another method is through action. Not the kind where you’re checking your watch every thirty seconds, but the kind that lets your mind step out of the way. Long walks, a run, a bike ride. Something steady, repetitive and without your phone, smartwatch or fitness tracker. When your brain is occupied just enough to stay out of danger, all the thoughts that have been percolating finally have a chance to align themselves.

Experiment. The last one for today is to do something new. Try rock climbing. Knitting. Bake bread from scratch. Go surfing for the first time. Pick something that forces your full attention because you have absolutely no idea what you’re doing. The act of learning disrupts patterns. It wakes up parts of your mind that get lazy when everything is familiar and new ideas can come into being during or just after the activity.

So, the next time you’re stuck, overwhelmed, or convinced that the well has run dry, remember that creativity doesn’t respond well to force. Relax. Move. Experiment with something new. There’s a good chance that one of those will help make those important connections.

Then the thing you’ve been grinding away at for days may suddenly feel obvious.