As creatives, we gravitate towards work that allows us to be, well – creative. Whether that be generating content that is visually engaging or wordsmithing to entice a potential customer, we immerse ourselves in the process of brainstorming and producing.

Sometimes though, we hit a brick wall and new ideas don’t come as easy as we would like. It’s inevitable and happens to the best of us. But there is hope!

There are several tips we can dive into that will help us spark our creative minds back on track.

 

AI – Artificial Intelligence

I was hesitant to put this on the list to be honest. I find myself being very conflicted about the use of AI in the digital space. On one hand, AI poses a direct threat to the very existence of digital creators. Heck, it’s using material we created to learn our craft. At the same time, markets evolve. If you aren’t keeping up, you’ll be left in the dust. We have gone through major changes before, and it’s important to find a way to use new technology to our advantage. 


Don’t be the photographer that refused retire film and got left behind in the digital age.

So where do I draw the line? For me the best use for AI is an idea generator. I use it with some prompts to create a list of topics I want to explore. I may ask Chat GPT something like “new trends in photography” or “10 underrated places to travel.”


I refuse to use AI to write my articles for me. I feel we need to keep as much human factor involved as we can. Though many people find it perfectly acceptable to offload those tasks entirely to AI.


Let yourself be inspired

Sometimes when I hit a mental roadblock, I intentionally take a break and find other ways to occupy my mind. We never know when and where we might be inspired. Consciously setting aside time to let your mind wonder through other creative works can be helpful in breaking out of brain fog. Perhaps I crack open a photobook. Or take a trip to an art gallery. I think it’s important to study other art forms anyway, but especially when I’m stuck.



“Photography is an immediate reaction, drawing a meditation.” 

– HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON

I often think about how some of my favorite photographers, Like Henri Cartier-Bresson were also painters. I can imagine that helped him see what he was looking for while working to photography a scene. Sometimes we just need to look at a challenge through a different filter. 


Cartier-Bresson is a pretty inspirational figure in his own right. A successful artist in the 1930’s, he joined the French Army as photographer at the outbreak of World War II. Captured by Nazis in 1940, he spent 35 months in a forced labor camp. He escaped after his third attempt and joined the French resistance.


He went on to become a founding member of Magnum Photos, the premier collective of photojournalists and documentary photographers. You can lean more about him here and see his artwork here.


Whoops, got a bit side tracked there… There is a real danger of getting sucked into a rabbit hole when you go looking for inspiration outside of your current task. Perhaps you are on a time crunch, and don’t have time to aimless wonder a museum or take in fresh air at a botanical garden. I’ve found I can have a positive impact on my mental state just by putting on some music. Perhaps something I wouldn’t normally listen too, like Frank Sinatra or Louis Armstrong. I’m always amazed how changing the background vibe can affect my productivity. 


Is the thought of trying to find appropriate music putting you over the edge? Check out this list of working music for creatives.


Breaking it down

Sometimes the reason we feel uncreative is simply a case of overload. Juggling multiple tasks all on tight deadlines, anxiety is to be expected. If your dad is like mine, he will say something like, “just keep putting one foot in front of the other.” And he wouldn’t be wrong, but sometimes I don’t even know where I’m supposed to put the first foot.


Every project is going to have several elements to it. Try breaking it into more manageable chucks. Maybe I can get the creative juices flowing again by focusing on the part that I know I will enjoy most. Or flip it on its head and tackle my least favorite task first. If I can get through that, the rest is downhill right? Every puzzle begins with the first piece. 


Mind yourself

The last tip I have for you is also something you might hear from your dad, but it’s sound advice. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. What does that even mean you ask? It means you must have a bit of forethought before crunch time. Be proactive in maintaining your mental health. Plan time for yourself away from the grind of maintaining a constant state of creativity. Plan ahead, don’t procrastinate and do your best to keep things from getting pushed into the red zone. Get good sleep and surround yourself by people that build you up and inspire you.


Final thoughts

Burn out is inevitable. Some jobs are physical in nature, others emotional. The marketing space is full of mental hurtles and challenges. Next time you are feeling the strain, try some of these tips to get you to the finish line.