What I Do When I’m in a “Creativity Rut”

Creativity ruts stink, am I right?! You’re just sitting there, mouse in hand, and...nope. Nothing. Nada. No creative flow or thoughts whatsoever. It can be really hard, especially if you are a designer professionally and you do this for a living. It can give you a terrible case of Imposter Syndrome.

If you don’t know what that is - man you are lucky! Imposter Syndrome is a severe case of doubting your abilities and accomplishments. It can be caused by a creative rut but can also cause a creativity rut in return. It’s truly a vicious cycle.

Overcoming a creativity rut

So, you’re in a creativity rut. Now what? I’m going to share my process when I don’t feel all that creative and how I overcome it. Hopefully this can help pull you out of whatever rut you’re in.

Research

A little inspiration can go a long way. Do some research on what other creatives are doing on design sites like Dribbble. Not only can this inspire you out of a creativity rut but it can also uncover new trends in the design field that you can keep in mind for other projects.

Collaboration

Teamwork makes the dream work. Sometimes talking the project out with someone else can help spark new ideas and break up a routine. If the person is a fellow creative, it may be even more helpful to learn about how they would approach the project differently.

Take a Break

At times, you just need a break. If you’re struggling with one project, come back to it tomorrow. Maybe you’re burnt out and exhausted with long work days. I mean, everyone knows being burnt out can put a damper on creativity. Listen to your body and mind and do what you need to do to unwind and refresh.