Get Those Creative Juices Flowing

Writer’s block most often occurs when your routine becomes stagnant. And why we are not all ‘writers’ per say, the condition affects us all equally. When you are in the middle of a project or your daily activities, and your focus remains repeatedly on the same items or tasks, it becomes increasingly easy to become mentally numb to situations. And when you become numb to what is going on around you it is time to renew your enthusiasm. You need to reinitiate the flow of your creativity.

Your creative juices allow you to thoroughly enjoy yourself when doing whatever it is that you do. You might be crunching numbers or engineering a masterpiece. Cooking for the family or orchestrating a project that will change the world. And no matter what your calling or occupation, you feel the most productive when you constantly are bringing fresh cultivating ideals to your workplace or home. The importance of consistent inspiration and creativity is immeasurable and many times overlooked. It affects your attitude in such a positive manor. You gain confidence. Your spirit is lifted just knowing that you are feeling your mental oats. So what then do you do to accommodate sluggish synapses?

First off, take a break. With the extreme stress of swine flu, economic hardships on top of everyday life issues, letting stress and worry consume you is counterproductive. That is easier said than done of course, but stress causes physical ailments as well as mental distractions that translate poorly to your productive capabilities. Tension, muscle spasm, back pain, stomachaches, and severe headaches such as migraines can occur as stress is internalized and not properly dealt with. And when you aren’t feeling your best, it is difficult to give your best performance. Take time to relax a bit to help renew your focus. Do something for yourself and recharge your batteries. When you feel good physically, you’ll be ready to tackle a challenge head on mentally as well.

What else helps to get your mind back on track when you are stuck in a mental rut? I very highly recommend exploring the arts to shine light on this dreary psychological state. Stunning visual imagery really gets your mind stirred. Try visiting a museum that has exhibits with heavy emphasis on vivid colors and varying textures. Visit an arboretum. Walk through it taking in the beauty of the dynamic colors of nature. Pay attention to all of the details that you can. If you enjoy photography or video, walk your neighborhood or travel downtown and try capturing random images. You might be surprised later if you just let the camera snap shots or let the film run without having a true target in mind. Later analysis of your experience could reveal some true humor and perhaps a masterful image that you would not have previously thought about shooting. Make sure your memory card is empty and your battery is full though before letting your adventurous spirit take control.

Try listening to music such as Classical or Jazz, both great choices for getting the brain functioning optimally. Spend time traveling. Whether it is around the block or a road trip, take the opportunity to see new things. There may be a part of your city that you’ve not visited before. Go see it. Take in the surrounding culture and try a new restaurant perhaps. Visit your local library and flip through the picture books. Study images that simply jump off the page at you. Expose yourself to the unfamiliar. If you are unable to get away, surf the web for a moment. Look at some of your favorite styles of art, hobbies, or other items that bring you joy. Take a moment to Facebook, Myspace, blog, or Twitter. Those too can help you relax a bit before getting back to your task.

Take in all that you can while breaking from the daily grind. Once you seize a moment to step away from a project, many times you return rejuvenated and able to reassess and rethink through problems. You find yourself refreshed with new ideas and you anticipate completing that next step. Resetting your immediate or long-term project goals helps you to visualize seeing it through. And that can bring much relief when you know that you have passed the point of dormant frustration, to return as a productive individual. Just stay flexible and do what you can when you can, to further encourage the creative process.