15 Exercises to End Creative Block Right Now

Check if it’s true: 10 minutes ago, you were staring at a blank sheet of paper—or a Photoshop canvas, or an empty Google Docs document—in the deepest state of creative block.

Anyone who produces knows that sometimes we try and try and try, but nothing comes out. In the reality of a marketing agency, this is even more complicated: it feels like we’re not doing anything.

When the blank page brings you all sorts of thoughts except the ones you need to fill it, it’s time to do something to overcome the creative block.

Throughout this article, you will see that taking a break is often the cure. But for those who are restless, the cure might also be the Nike method: just do it.

We’ve compiled 15 techniques to overcome creative block, inspired by great authors and marketing professionals.

There’s something for every personality, so if one technique doesn’t work for you, keep reading until you find the one that fits your production style.

But first, just a word:

Does creative block really exist?

Of course it does. For some people, it exists; for others, it doesn’t. Many authors and writers are completely opposed to the idea of creative block.

But if even one person in the world has creative block, it exists.

What doesn’t exist is a creative block without reasons. No one wakes up super motivated, with several articles to write for various clients, and simply can’t do it because of an attack of creative block. “But I was so eager to write!”

Something is behind it. Creative block isn’t like a cold. It happens for reasons we often don’t even notice. Anxiety, fear of not being able to deliver, tight deadlines: everything contributes.

With this in mind, the first and most important technique in the article is: always try to investigate the real reason for your block.

If you can’t solve it right away, at least you know that creative block is a symptom. And it becomes easier to deal with it this way.

Now, let’s move on to the techniques:

15 exercises to overcome creative block right now

It’s very important to take care of mental health, especially when working in an environment like an advertising and digital marketing agency.

The need to deliver faster and faster takes away one of the main characteristics of good ideas: gestation time. This anxiety accumulates until it culminates in problems like creative block.

But with good planning, you can take a little time to…

1 – Produce despite the creative block and then revise

This exercise is easy to do, and you can start right now without even getting up from your chair. Go back to the blank page and simply do anything related to the topic.

This is what author Ann Handley (Content Rules, Everybody Writes) describes as TUFD—the ugly first draft.

Produce as if you don’t even know you have creative block. Even if it’s just a list of what you want to talk about, or a small sketch on a notebook page. Just do it.

After you finish, revise. The ideas will be waiting for you. No creative block can survive ideas you’ve already thought of.

“A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper..” – E.B. White

2 – Take a break and read a book

Sometimes, the creative block is so deep that you feel incapable. Nothing comes out, you even lack the will to touch the keyboard.

In these moments, taking a break works wonders. Read an inspiring book, and it doesn’t even have to be about content production.

“Content Rules” by Ann Handley is a great book to read little by little, savoring it. It talks a lot about inspiration and copywriting in general, and it’s not just for writers!

Reading is good because it works like meditation. You can’t think about anything else; your focus is entirely on the book. And that’s great for calming the mind.

Always have an emergency book drawer next to you. And if the creative block appears, counter it with a good read.

“Working in an agency taught me to think, not just to write.” – Malcolm Gluck, legendary copywriter.

3 – Research more

Look: producing something in an agency—be it a video script, a blog article, an Instagram post, etc.—is 90% research and 10% execution.

Everything done in an agency is based on the target audience. If your creative block is because you don’t know what to say, it’s time to research more.

A tip that will help you a lot: join Facebook groups and Instagram profiles and research there. If you’re working with a client who sells car parts, join mechanic groups.

This way, you’ll see how the people who will consume your content talk, and you’ll have a better idea of how you need to speak.

But if you already know how to speak but not exactly what—meaning you don’t fully understand the content—it’s time for deeper research. Interview your client to better understand the product or service offered, and jot down key points.

These points will help you overcome the creative block because they refer back to the first technique: write quickly and then edit.

But if you’re not very motivated to research…

4 – Eat something

This is one of the best exercises to overcome creative block: simple to follow and involves food. Perfect.

But not everyone takes this advice because it seems pointless. But it might be due to a lack of glucose in your blood.

Glucose is our body’s fuel. Without it, the brain works slower, and you have more difficulty focusing on what you’re doing. And you also have more difficulty accepting new ideas.

So, take this little break. Eating is good and can relieve your creative block. If your low-glucose body screams “work more! Food isn’t the problem!”, ignore it. Having a snack never delayed any article.

“I’ve been writing long enough to know that blocks are temporary, and if someone follows a routine and tries to write regularly, something eventually shows up.” – Jhumpa Lahiri

5 – Produce something else

Need to write a sales email? Write it as if it were a poem.

Need to write a blog article? Write it in question-and-answer format.

Need to create an Instagram post? Draw something by hand.

Subvert your creativity. Sometimes working in an advertising agency makes us forget that creativity doesn’t get along well with pressure.

So be revolutionary, even if it’s just for an hour or two. Creativity, which has always been rebellious, will thank you.

“Delete the unnecessary and redo the ambiguous. And redo. And redo. And redo.” – Steve Harrison, legendary copywriter.

6 – Take notes by hand

This one also aligns with the spirit of the first technique. Instead of staring at the computer screen, grab a notebook and start scribbling.

Scribble what you think about the job. What you know about the client and what goals you want to achieve with the piece being produced.

Scribble first drafts, structures, and ideas. Write what you think about the personas. Gradually, you will be building a knowledge base that will help you when it’s time to get to work.

The screen remains blank. But the idea is within you, not it.

“Good writing requires us to have an understanding and empathy for our audience, their situation, their needs, and goals.” – Johnathan Colman, Facebook.

7 – Consume a different type of content

Another great tip for those who need to step out of the bubble for a minute and come back more inspired. Consume a different type of content, in a completely different medium.

If you’re a designer and nothing is coming out, read an article on the topic on Medium. If you’re a writer, go to Behance and analyze the design of advertising pieces.

This always helps with creative block because you allow yourself, even for a second, not to think about what you need to do. And creativity works better this way.

“The draft needs some adjustments, but first, it needs to be written.” – Don Murray, writing professor.

8 – Take a walk in the park

Your dog will love this one. If you’re thinking too much and doing too little, force yourself to stop thinking. Grab the leash, call your pet, and go for a walk.

10 minutes of a good walk will make you focus on a million different things that aren’t the work you need to deliver. The birds, the clouds, the car, another dog, people who don’t pick up their pet’s poop (who does that?), and so on.

If taking a break is hard because your mind doesn’t stop, give it something else to think about. Anxiety is creativity’s greatest enemy, and the more you think about it, the more anxious you become.

“Much of creative block is expecting too much of ourselves in the first attempt.” – Ann Handley, Everybody Writes.

9 – Use a breathing technique

There are several breathing techniques that can help you reduce anxiety. Yogis have been using some for millennia.

But look: don’t spend 3 hours searching for breathing techniques on the internet! Find a simple one that you can do right now:

• Breathe in and hold for 3 seconds;
• Release the breath very slowly;
• Repeat the process for 5 minutes.

Focus only on your breathing for now. Soon, you’ll notice your mind naturally guiding itself to the next tip, which is golden:

10 – Take five minutes to meditate

Five minutes a day is enough. If you don’t want to or can’t leave your physical space and take the dog for a walk, calming your mind can be done right there at work or in your home office.

Meditation is simple, and you don’t need an app to start. The main thing is to completely empty your mind.

At first, it will be a bit difficult, but with practice, it becomes natural. Go to a quiet place where no one passes by, set a timer for 5 minutes, and close your eyes.

Think about nothing for 5 minutes. Breathe slowly and deeply. Do this, and you’ll be free of creative block in a minute.

11 – Write as if it were a letter

This is for the writers: when you don’t know what to write, ignore the format for now. Write as if it were a letter.

It can be like this:

“Dear agency friends,

Today I was asked to write a blog article, but I’m having a creative block. So I decided to write this letter to tell you a bit about what I’m thinking of writing. Maybe it will help.

The topic I’m talking about is…”

This will help you subvert the blog format, and then you just need to edit so the final result doesn’t look like a letter, and there you have it: the article is done.

Tom Wolfe, author of great journalistic books in the US, says he wrote his first article this way. He didn’t know what to do, so he wrote a letter to his editor at The Atlantic.

The editor called him that same week and said, “Tom, let’s cut the ‘Dear Byron’ at the beginning of the letter and publish it.”

“All professions have tough days when nothing goes right, and professionals are expected to keep working. It’s no different for creatives.” – Pat Barker, novelist

12 – Take a hot shower and a nap

Anyone who works in an agency needs to watch Mad Men.

The series about a fictional agency on Madison Avenue in New York in the 60s shows, among other things, the offices of copywriters, designers, and creative directors.

They all have a couch. And everyone sleeps after lunch.

Sleeping is a great tactic to get out of a creative block. Our current sleep pattern is not the best for fully utilizing our brains.

Taking a nap in the middle of the day after a hot shower makes you more relaxed. And during sleep, your brain will decode and process what you were thinking about before.

And it’s also great for stress. In fact, taking a nap is simply great. Not just for stress, but for everything. Before finishing: combine this technique with number 2 for a perfect day.

“If you want to be interesting, be interested.” – David Ogilvy, legendary copywriter and founder of Ogilvy.

13 – Talk to someone about your piece

Something that helps a lot in learning about something is teaching. There is no doubt that this is the best way to get out of a creative block: talk about your piece.

You may be in a terrible block, but you know what you want to do. Even without knowing.

The idea behind everything is there, the research you did is also there. Sometimes, putting all your goals into words and asking for someone’s opinion is the little push that will result in an amazing piece.

But maybe the best thing is…

14 – Talk to someone but not about your piece

Small talk, talk about the latest movie that came out, the series you’re reading, the book you finished yesterday. All this can be better than focusing even more on your piece.

That’s because your brain needs a break, and we’ve mentioned it several times here in this article. Creativity sometimes needs distance to flourish.

What better way to disconnect from the world than by making friends?

15 – Give up for today

Listen: you don’t need to worry if your creative block is too strong. Sometimes it just won’t go away, no matter what you do.

Gary Halbert, one of the greatest copywriters of all time, says in his book “The Boron Letters” that he always tries to write, even when he’s not in the mood. He adheres to the first technique: squeeze your brain until something comes out.

But there are days when it just doesn’t work. And then he takes a day off.

The important thing here in this technique is that you are not giving up on the piece: you are giving up for today. Go do other things: tidy up the house, hang the clothes, talk to other departments in the agency.

Tomorrow you come back and try again.

“The best part of writing is that you can make mistakes and do it again. Unlike a neurosurgeon.” – Robert Collier, legendary copywriter

Just do it!

You have two options. Do it now or later. There is no not doing it.

This article serves these two personalities: those who can stay away from the piece for a while to calm down and those who will only calm down when the creative block is over.

I am a bit of both people. Sometimes I need distance, sometimes I need to focus. Which one are you?

And one concern that has never left my mind has always been lead generation. In every article written, every email, every tiny piece, there was always a little voice in the background shouting “what about the leads?”

You don’t need to worry about that. Leadster is the chatbot that converts. Start your free trial today!

Write your articles and pieces with one goal only: to please the reader. Leave the rest to us.

Until the next article!