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Are you creatively blocked?

Here are simple, guided steps to unblock you.

Part One – Self Care

Do you feel alright?

  • Yes – Skip to Part Two
  • No – Keep reading this part.

Are you hungry?

  • Yes – Eat a meal or snack.
  • No – Continue to the next question.

Are you thirsty?

  • Yes – Drink some water or a beverage; Not alcohol.
  • No – Continue to the next question.

Are you tired?

  • Yes – Maybe you can take a quick nap or close your eyes and rest in a comfortable position for a bit.
  • No – Continue to the next question.

Have you taken your medication?

  • Yes – Take your pills. It’s important to prioritize long-term health.
  • No – Continue to the next question.

Are you comfortable in your environment?

  • Yes – Continue to the next question.
  • No – Tidy up or relocate. Try sitting somewhere you normally don’t. Maybe go for a walk to the park, or down the street. Sit on a bench or lean against a wall.

Is your environment too loud or too quiet?

  • Yes – See if you can find somewhere quieter to work. You can put in earbuds and listen to music.
  • No – Continue to the next question.

Do you feel restless or anxious?

  • Yes – Try exercising; Go for a jog or a brisk walk outside.
  • No – Continue to the next question.

Part Two – Let’s Get Creative

  1. Grab a pencil and some paper.
  2. Put your pencil to the paper and make a scribble. You can draw a spiral or a face or a dog or any kind of doodle.
  3. Now I’m going to show you a random prompt. After looking at this prompt, write down the first 10 things that come to your mind. If you can’t think of ten, that’s OK.

    🎲 Random Prompt: Prompt #4077
  4. Done? Now look at your list and circle one that triggers some kind of feeling.
  5. Write a paragraph of free association, stream-of-consciousness, anything related to this word that comes to mind. This does not need to be autobiographical or confessional.
  6. Now draw a little picture next to your paragraph to illustrate it.
  7. Now let’s translate this into your chosen medium.
  8. I want you create a preliminary sketch/draft/expression in the form of your choosing. This is not a permanent artwork you will keep.
    • Alternatively, how might this scene or image you have described be translated into your chosen medium in the worst possible way? Let’s make a really bad artwork, just to get it out of the way. This is a fun exercise.
  9. Now that you have your first attempt, lets’ also sketch out 3-5 alternative approaches. This is meant to get your brain thinking of different and novel solutions to the same problem, it strengthens your “creativity muscle.”