Creativity is a fickle beast. Sometimes you are on fire with ideas, and other times your mind feels like a wasteland (or maybe that’s just me?).
We all have moments where we feel uninspired or uncreative. It’s normal; it happens to everyone. But the question is: How do you get back on track?
This post will share 8 tips for maintaining motivation and staying creative, even when you feel like you have nothing left to give. If you’re ready to get back on track and stay creative, read on!
Step 1 – To maintain motivation you must create boundaries
No boundaries allowed! We have an insatiable urge to create, learn, share, make mistakes, seek guidance, and to take help. But boundaries are a key aspect of creative growth. When we don’t have boundaries, we can’t help but pick up where we’ve left off. We need boundaries to create space for creativity. Otherwise, how will we ensure that projects, assignments, or clients don’t creep up on us and take us out of the creative frame?
Step 2 – Be kind to yourself this helps your motivation
When we feel uninspired or disconnected, we tend to ask ourselves: What did I do wrong? Why is this happening to me? We need to self-soothe ourselves: Put away the phone, open a door, and walk away from the feedback you don’t want to give. Pay attention to what you want to give to keep your energy high and your creativity flowing.
Step 3 – Surround yourself with inspiring people and things
If you spend a lot of time online, you’re likely surrounded by inspiration. Whether it’s a friend in a creative community, a mentor, a peer, or a colleague you can rely on for help, there is a potential for inspiration to arise.
Step 4 – Take a break
Sometimes, when we’re so busy creating that we don’t have time to decompress our thoughts. We get super attached to our plots and characters, and we miss the feel of creating. When we take a break, we’re likely to feel a lot less stressed, confident, and inspired. When we take a break, we’re also likely to have a lot less anxiety around certain projects and clients, which can help your business grow!
Step 5 – Have a Creative Ritual
When we need a break, we need to create a ritual that prepares us for our break. Create rituals for your particular needs. Create an expected break schedule for yourself and your business so you have something to catch up on. If you’re not sure how to create a creative break schedule, this article can help you.
Step 6 – Set small achievable goals
When we feel stuck and uninspired, we tend to ask ourselves: What can I do to get motivated?
And the answer is: Anything!
The key is to identify your specific problems and work towards fixing them. Here are a few goals you may want to consider:
- What problem Am I trying to solve?
- What will making a difference in the world look like if I solve it?
- How do I get the most out of this challenge?
- What is the most effective strategy for achieving this objective?
- What are the best steps in the process?
Step 7 – Celebrate your small wins
When we feel like we need to throw up our drawers and take our leave, it’s because we’ve been emotionally invested in the project for too long. Instead, celebrate your small wins.
Step 8 – Remember that creativity is messy and sometimes uncomfortable
When we feel like we’ve wrapped up our projects and everything is missing, we usually turn to the internet to fill in the gaps. Well, that’s not the best way to go, and you shouldn’t do it. The internet has a long and hard way tradition of providing us with plenty of opportunities to miss out on important creative activities and projects. Many of us are too busy worrying about our next project, our next client, or the consequences of a failed project. We don’t have the time, energy, or creativity to get lost in a project-free world. A creative break is an opportunity to unplug and reflect on what went right and what didn’t. It’s also an opportunity to start building new habits that will help you stay creative even when you feel like you have nothing to give.
Conclusion on how to maintain motivation.
As you can see from the list above, there are many different ways to maintain motivation and stay creative. But there is one thing that can definitely be said for all of them: They all require some practice.
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