8 Ways to Break Out of a Creative Rut
Most designers hit a creative roadblock at some point or another.
Shocking, I know. Yes, we're paid to be creative, but we're also human.
We have fun designing, but doing so over and over without being
repetitive has its challenges. Like many others, we juggle busy family
lives with a hectic work schedule — many of us are also small-business
owners, which comes with added responsibilities. Sometimes the stress
doesn't leave much room for creative brainstorming.
Here are eight ideas to help fresh and creative ideas keep rolling in.
Here are eight ideas to help fresh and creative ideas keep rolling in.
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1. Act like a kid again. Maybe
it's because I spend way too much time rolling around with my 20-month
old son, Xavier, but there's nothing more fun to me than looking to a
kid's playroom for escape or inspiration. The bright colors and often
wacky details help to remind me not to take it all so seriously, to
loosen up and have some real fun.
So when you've hit a creative rut, think like a kid and add some fun textures, colors, accents or even a chalkboard wall or two to your next project. Take it way back to the basics and add a personal art project as a signature piece. |
2. Volunteer. If you're
not in the mood to play with crayons and chalk, doing some volunteer
work could be right up your alley, especially if it means you can use
your design skills in a different way. There's no greater feeling than
seeing a client with no demands feel so grateful for a beautiful space.
Atlanta designers Dayka Robinson and Erika Ward combined their love of design and good deeds with Room Service Atlanta. Each year dozens of designers, vendors and sponsors donate time and money to design rooms at various shelters for teens. This type of venture can remind you that what you do can really transform lives. Doing work that really matters can truly help open your creative floodgates.
Tip: If there's not a similar organization in your city, reach out to nonprofits that you admire to offer your services — even if they're not asking! Odds are, there are tons of organizations that would relish the idea of having free services from a design professional.
Atlanta designers Dayka Robinson and Erika Ward combined their love of design and good deeds with Room Service Atlanta. Each year dozens of designers, vendors and sponsors donate time and money to design rooms at various shelters for teens. This type of venture can remind you that what you do can really transform lives. Doing work that really matters can truly help open your creative floodgates.
Tip: If there's not a similar organization in your city, reach out to nonprofits that you admire to offer your services — even if they're not asking! Odds are, there are tons of organizations that would relish the idea of having free services from a design professional.
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3. Get away. Step away
from the design boards, your blog and social media sites, and get
outside! Smell some fresh air, sit by a pool and have a sip of wine.
Guess what? That message from a client turned out to not be so urgent
after all, right? Sometimes it's OK to call back in the morning.
Tip: I try not to do any type of business on Sundays. Once you start replying on days off, you've erased your boundaries. Don't do it. |
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4. Check into a hotel for a day. No
need to hop on a plane to escape. Sometimes a quick getaway in your own
city will do the trick. When you're away from home, even for a day,
you're less inclined to fall into your chaotic routine. Instead, turn on
the hotel telly and watch marathon episodes of your favorite guilty
pleasure show. Keep your cell phone on mute and order some room service.
Tip: Some of my best design inspirations have come from hotel stays. Hotel designers often have larger budgets to work with and can often splurge on items the average homeowner can't, but there's no harm in borrowing an idea or two and making it work with a smaller budget. Great getaways for people who love design |
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by Richard Kramer
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5. Take a walk. If a hotel's too expensive, try parking the car and taking a walk to clear your head, says designer Kimberly Ward. Ward says that her frequent walks clear her thoughts and help her focus on new ways to stay creative.
Tips: Taking a camera along on these walks may also inspire some creativity, too. Photography can stretch a different creative muscle and may even produce some personal art for your next project. People-watching along a busy downtown street is also a great way to get a sense of what's trending. If it's trending in fashion, home design is probably next. How to take better photos with your phone |
6. Hang up the phone. Now,
I don't mean hang up on clients or potential clients. Instead, just try
not to stay glued to your phone, checking emails, texts and all of your
social media sites 24/7. Designer Sherry Hart
tries to halt all business chatter by 6 p.m. and on the weekends. "It
is just overload," she says. "I'm a big believer that we're not curing
cancer."
by sherry hart
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7. Laugh a lot. Hart
attributes part of her design success to a sense of humor. Be willing to
laugh at yourself sometimes, and acknowledge that you don't have to
take everything so seriously.
Tip: Just the act of laughing can boost your creative juices. Leave your office for an afternoon and go check out the lineup at a local comedy club or rent your favorite hysterical movie to get in some belly-aching laughs. Trust me, laughter in any form will loosen you up and spur some creativity.
Tip: Just the act of laughing can boost your creative juices. Leave your office for an afternoon and go check out the lineup at a local comedy club or rent your favorite hysterical movie to get in some belly-aching laughs. Trust me, laughter in any form will loosen you up and spur some creativity.
