Five Ways to Help You Out of a Creative Rut

Creative blocks can be a great cause of anxiety and/or frustration for many of us. And, while a creative rut might seem inescapable when you're on the inside, looking out; actually freeing yourself from this oppressive, suffocating feeling may be a lot easier then you think. So, why do creative blocks happen — at least, in a theoretical sense — and how do we remove these blocks? 

Coming to you from the wonderfully creative mind of Jamie Windsor, this video tries to dissect the creative rut problem, boiling it down into an easy to digest theory: a malfunction between the interaction of the subconscious and conscious mind. This simple, easy to understand concept, is a great way to prime his viewers for his following points which move from the "Why?" and on to the "How?". As usual, Windsor uses interesting graphics to illustrate the concepts he talks about. I would argue that his whole thesis can be applied to many practices, not just those of the creative industry. What he talks about, and how he presents it, is good advice for problem solving in general.

I've heard most of these tips many times from others, but it helps to hear them again because, personally, I can get caught up in my own frustrations, forgetting to take a step back. And, I know that I'm not as unique as I sometimes think I am so, if you feel that you've heard all of this before, be bold and watch the video — you might just absorb something different. 

Mike O'Leary's picture

Mike is a landscape and commercial photographer from, Co. Kerry, Ireland. In his photographic work, Mike tries to avoid conveying his sense of existential dread, while at the same time writing about his sense of existential dread. The last time he was in New York he was mugged, and he insists on telling that to every person he meets.

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1 Comment

Put the camera away and go do something completely different is a great tip to freshen the mind.