What to Do When You Run Out of Ideas: Beating Creative Block

As someone whose work involves ideas and creativity, you have surely hit moments many times when you can't think of anything and don't know what to do or how to do it. Frequently running out of ideas leaves you discouraged and helpless, because for creative people ideas are the “lifeblood”, what they contribute and get recognized for. So what to do when you run out of ideas? This article from MONA Media gives you ways to get past creative block right away.

What makes us run out of ideas so easily?

It is hard when work is piling up, a partner or your boss is chasing a deadline, and you have run dry of ideas. If this goes on for long, it hurts both the quality and the results of your work. Finding the root cause helps you "clear the fog" and get ideas flowing again more easily.

These are the most common reasons you run out of ideas:

Constant creating

Creating nonstop, or coming up with ideas for the same topic over and over, can leave you stuck fast. It is hard going if you keep churning out content in bulk like a machine, and you will soon notice that each new idea is weaker than the last.

This is the most familiar problem for creatives at agency and for anyone who has to keep revising ideas when the client disagrees.

Outside influences

Many outside factors can drain your ideas: colleagues, strict management, an uncomfortable workspace, and so on. They can affect your mood, and without the right "mood" it is hard to come up with great ideas.

Inner feelings

If you are a sensitive person, there will be times when you feel sad without knowing why. At those moments nothing you do feels right, you feel low and you do not want to work. That is only natural: when your emotions are off, it is hard to come up with good ideas.

3 principles to remember when working in a creative job

The "nightmare" called creative block is always around and can hit anyone who creates content, at any time. If you choose this line of work, you have to accept living with it. To live with idea drought in peace, keep these principles in mind:

There is always another, better solution

Look at how the internet and technology like phones, music players, TVs and computers have developed, and you will see that human creativity has no limit. There are always different and better solutions, so trust that your current solution is only temporary. What you need to do is keep looking for a better way to finish the job well.

Change your attitude toward failure

"Failure is the mother of success." Everyone goes through failures, big or small. What differs is how each person faces them. If you have a negative attitude and are sunk in failure, change your attitude and turn it positive.

Learn to look from many angles

To be creative, keep asking questions and exploring. Whenever you need an idea or a solution for a project, put yourself in different positions and viewpoints so you can see every side of the problem.

For a product idea, for example: if you were the customer, what would you need from the product? If you were a competitor, what would they do? If you were your boss, how would you want the product presented? The better you understand them, the easier it is to satisfy the people your project is for.

See more:

• How do you define your customer persona?
• How to analyze competitors in 7 steps

11 ways to escape creative block that you should try right now

Sometimes the person who is stuck has no idea how to get out of it. If you feel helpless against this "illness", try the 11 ways to beat creative block that people in the industry use, below.

Looking at competitors

Looking at what competitors do and how they do it is a great way to avoid racking your brain over a blank. Of course, it would be foolish to simply copy what they do.

Make their ideas your own, and let their mistakes and the gaps they have not filled lead you to better ideas.

Look into trending and fashionable topics

"Riding trends" is a great way to generate ideas, and you should use it even when you are not stuck, because whatever is trending is in demand. If you ride a trend smartly, you will get plenty of results.

However, keep in mind that you should trending so that it fits the audience you are targeting, because not every trend fits. You need to weave the trend into your content in a way that is subtle and still engaging.

Ideas from your audience

Another source to try is your own audience (your customers). Interacting with them and understanding them can give you far more inspiration.

Some channels where you can draw ideas from your customers or audience:

• Social media
• Join and stay active in forums and groups.
• Look for forums related to your industry, field or product.
• Read comments and reviews from customers who have used your products or services, and your competitors'.

Use topic generator tools

For content and design people, sometimes a catchy title alone is enough to win customers over. If you are out of ideas, you can turn to tools. HubSpot and Portent offer topic generators that help you come up with plenty of good ideas. Just enter a few target keywords and they suggest related topics.

Look at popular topics from the past

Ideas are endless, and you are only a small corner of a constantly changing world. So there is a lot to find outside your own head: on the internet, in books, in magazines and more. Topics people have created over time are a great source of inspiration to "rescue" you from idea drought.

Get input from others / brainstorm

Working alone is not always best. Sometimes brainstorming is what you need to shape a more complete idea, which is why creative work always calls for teamwork. If you are out of ideas, ask for opinions from many people, especially those with great creative ability, such as your team.

Reuse old ideas

We do not always have new ideas. In fact, plenty of old ideas still have value and still interest people. Reusing an old idea not only gets you out of creative block but also reminds your audience of that content.

But make sure the content you bring back is really needed, and refresh it a little so viewers do not get bored with the old version.

Find a creative environment

A creative environment is a place with people like you. Build relationships with creative people in your field and spend time with them. Talking with them helps you understand problems better and find solutions faster. If you know people who are better than you, you will learn a great deal.

Use a mind map to find ideas

Having ideas is not hard, but making them logical and on target is. Going in the wrong direction is very dangerous for content creators. To stay on course and miss no point, build your mind map in as much detail as you can. Listing every keyword related to your topic takes time, but the result is well worth it.

Explore your work from a new angle

Creative work always demands something new, but if you keep repeating the same work, your creativity gradually wears away. Looking at your work from several new angles opens new "doors" and renews your interest in it. This helps you find fresh ideas and get past idea drought quickly.

Step away from the keyboard

When nothing comes, do not stubbornly sit at the computer. Get away from the keyboard, stand up and do something to relieve stress. Ask yourself what you like doing and what makes you feel at ease. You can listen to music, watch a film, read, sleep, take a walk, go for a run, and so on. Do whatever lets your mind relax and puts you in the best frame of mind to come up with new ideas.

Creativity differs from person to person, but we can all learn and build it over time. Do not let idea drought discourage you or make you give up this work. Try the ways Mona Media suggested above to clear the fog. We hope our article "What to do when you run out of ideas? These ways to get past creative block tips for beating creative block" will be a big help to you.