Poor marketers! Under constant pressure to be creative throughout their careers, little wonder that writer’s block or designer’s dilemma kicks in from time to time. So if your creative juices have dried up recently, try some of these ideas.

1. Change your environment

Therapists who work with people who have difficulty sleeping have a number of ways to help their clients drop off, and several of them are worth trying if your creativity has plateaued recently.

One idea is to change your environment. If you find the ideas are no longer flowing at your desk, go for a walk and get some fresh air, or sit in a cafe for half an hour and let your mind wander. Many people get their best ideas in the shower because they are isolated from the distraction of other people. You may not have a shower at work (!) - but finding a quiet place where you can be alone with your thoughts is always good for the mind.

2. Look into my eyes

You can take this isolation to a whole new level through self hypnosis, meditation and mindfulness, simply letting the mind and body relax and letting your subconscious do the work. It’s said that Einstein came up with his theory of relativity by relaxing and imagining what it would be like to ride on a photon of light through the universe. If it’s good enough for Albert it’s good enough for us! 

3. Talk

Conversely, surrounding yourself with other people can also work. Whether this is in an organised brainstorming session or a one-to-one session with a colleague or friend whose opinion you value. 

If you’re not sure about some of your ideas run them by someone else and ask for constructive criticism. Ask them what they like about the idea and how they would make it even better. Hearing criticism is particularly hard for passionate creative people, but better you discover now how to make your landing page more effective than after the campaign has started.

4. Take a break

Creativity, like going to sleep or threading a needle, is one of those frustrating tasks that become more difficult the harder you try. Just as a therapist might advise an insomniac to get out of bed if they haven’t fallen asleep within 20 minutes, so you may need to let your creative mind take a break from time to time. Spend a few minutes doing your expenses or monthly reporting and then return to the task at hand. 

5. Give yourself permission not to be perfect

It’s odd that when we participate in brainstorming sessions, we are always very respectful of other people’s ideas, no matter how mad they sometimes seem. Yet when it comes to our own work, perfectionism and self-doubt can be crippling. 

Don’t hold back. Just get some ideas down on paper without being judgemental about them. You might find the idea is better that you first thought, or it starts a chain of other thoughts that might reveal a better idea. 

Sometimes we just have to be good enough. This can be difficult in creative industries, where people think they are only as good as their last idea. But we are judged on results, and a decent idea on time will always produce a better return than a perfect one that comes too late. 

6. Try some creativity tools

Organisations like the MindGym have some neat tools for helping people to think more creatively. 

One idea is to consider opposites. The stuffed crust pizza was created by a group thinking about what would be the opposite of topping on a standard pizza base. Another suggestion is to build an Excel spreadsheet, with one set of ideas down the Y axis and another along the X axis. Then consider how the ideas might combine in the resulting matrix. This is a great way to come up with brand names. 

Check out their book: Mind Gym: Achieve More by Thinking Differently for more tools and techniques. 

And when you’re ready to exercise those creative muscles in a new role be sure to get in touch with our team at Regan & Dean - or sign up for job alerts to expand your creative horizons further. Whether the role is a detail focussed event logistics manager, or an event marketing manager, a creative approach is always needed to get to the best solutions!