101 Ways to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing

A recent bout of not being motivated struck. After a few rounds, of clicking into my work and clicking away, and then getting frustrated with myself for not being able to focus, forcing myself to click back into my work, reading a few lines, and becoming bored, I decided it was time to come at the work from a different angle.

It was time to write another blog post, this time detailing ways to get the creative juices flowing. I'm sure I'm not the only one who struggles with motivation from time to time, so I thought this might help others.

So without further ado, the list of ways to get your creative juices flowing. And we'll begin with the one I mentioned earlier.

1. Switch projects.

2. Come at your work from a different angle, Devil's Advocate.

3. Go back to the drawing board.

4. Walk through the work you did last time.

5. Talk a walk.

6. Exercise

7. Day Dream

8. Listen to Music (This can evoke feelings that inspire us.)

9. Meditate

10. Take a nap

11. Take a shower (I've heard many people say they get ideas here.)

12. Phone a friend. Get their advice

13. Talk the idea out by yourself

14. Distract your mind with other things.

15. Do a puzzle (Sudoku, Crossword, Jigsaw, etc)

16. Do household tasks/chores (folding laundry, washing dishes, vacuuming, etc)

17. Think of the idea phase as problem solving. What is the problem? How do you solve it?

18. Doodle.

19. Try changing scenery for work (i.e. trying a different room, or going to the park or coffee shop)

20. Search ideas on Pinterest or Google.

21. Research

22. Relax

23. Play a game (board, physical, or otherwise)

24. Play with an animal (Go to the Animal Shelter if you don't have one)

25. Go for a drive.

26. Read a book

27. Imagine your work in a different medium.

28. Imagine you're being interviewed. What would you like to say about your work?

29. Watch your favorite movie.

30. Take a spa day

31. Get a massage

32. Learn a new skill

33. Brainstorm the individual pieces of your project and map them out

34. Dance like no one's watching

35. Sing like no one's listening

36. Write the idea out on paper (or on the computer if you usually begin on paper)

37. Take the practical pieces and work them out.

38. Soundboard with people on forums doing similar work

39. Listen to or watch an expert in your field

40. Complete a smaller portion of the project

41. Try not to force the idea or stress about it.

42. Make a snack

43. Give yourself permission to suck.

44. Muster some pride for your accomplishments

45. Reminisce

46. Organize your ideas or thoughts in a new way.

47. Build parameters into the project

48. Go to your happy place (or create one)

49. Schedule time for brainstorming and make it a daily habit

50. Visit places that inspire and excite you

51. Work on the roughest outline of the project

52. Edit

53. Re-Edit (Our brains get bored and start paying attention to the smaller details)

54. Go back to an earlier project to see how you worked it out the first time

55. YouTube nature sounds like rain or waterfalls

56. Set time aside with zero distractions

57. Turn off social media (if it becomes a time suck)

58. Set your phone on silent

59. Write in white (cuts the need to edit until the idea gets down)

60. Help a friend

61. Be positive about your abilities

62. Volunteer

63. Be mindful of the world around you. Really focus in on the little details.

64. Try a new look

65. Focus on your senses (Close your eyes, notice what you hear, etc)

66. Try a new air freshener scent (scents are closely related to memory and might jog something.)

67. Chew gum (A study tip I picked up. The same type of gum can link your memories like scents.)

68. Be creative in a different way.

69. Imagine the project as a finished piece, revel in those feelings

70. Imagine the project as a finished piece. How will it be received by others?

71. Recreate environments where your ideas have sparked before

72. Study the work of your peers

73. Dissect professional work to see what works

74. Try a new restaurant

75. Keep notes when inspiration strikes to go back to

76. Keep a journal

77. Keep a dream journal

78. Simply enjoy the fresh air

79. Count all the good things that happened that day/week

80. Recant the plot lines of your favorite book/movie

81. Join a webinar

82. Listen to a podcast

83. Attend a workshop

84. Hone your craft

85. Go out for the night

86. Meet new people, listen to their stories

87. Try a new routine

88. Try a new hang out spot, coffee shop, etc.

89. Learn a new aspect of your field (i.e. if you write books, research publishing)

90. Join a Facebook group with similar interests

91. Expand your horizons

92. Put yourself in uncomfortable situations, so you grow

93. Make a dream board of all the things you'd like to do

94. Scrapbook memories

95. Expand on previous projects

96. Do a joint project with a friend

97. Make a video of the behind the scenes work

98. Organize your work space

99. Make a To-Do list

100. Visit a Theme Park

101. Prepare for good ideas by having ways to take notes and be receptive when they come

Inspiration and motivation are huge factors to the flow of ideas. I hope these suggestions help you to keep moving forward with your projects.