How to Become More Creative: 8 Useful Tips for Freelancers

Table of Contents 

• What Is a Creative Block?
• 8 Tips to Become Creative and Innovative
• Key Takeaways 
• Conclusion 
• FAQs

Thanks to the growing trend of remote working, freelancing has become a popular career path. More and more people are turning towards freelancing as a career option because of the employment crisis created due to COVID-19. Freelancing allows you to have autonomy, flexibility, and choice. Although a freelance career can be liberating to a great extent, it’s also equally challenging.  

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Due to the rising competition, freelancers are known to often undergo stress, fatigue, and burnout. This can make it extremely difficult to stay creative and inspired. However, there are some simple things you can practice to (hopefully) prevent yourself from feeling overwhelmed and overcome your creative block. Read on to know about some tips on how to become creative. 

What Is a Creative Block?

A creative block or barrier is a state of mind that prevents you from accessing your own internal creativity. It often appears when you have an incredible amount of enthusiasm and determination, but you space out when you can’t seem to find the inspiration that’s needed to execute those ideas. 

As it turns out, these creative slumps affect not only your work but also your overall well-being. It can happen for a number of reasons and can last way longer than you’d like it to. So, how to become creative when you’re stuck in a creative rut? There are a few things you can do to combat your creative block. 

8 Tips to Become Creative and Innovative

Let’s look at the eight easy tips on how to become more creative as a freelancer.

1. Step away from your work

Sometimes, being stuck in a regular routine can leave you feeling unmotivated and stressed. This can prevent you from brainstorming new, creative ideas. Stepping away from your work once in a while can give you a fresh perspective on many things, and can help you nourish your creativity. 

Depending on your situation, taking a walk outside, meeting friends, visiting a coffee shop, or working at different hours can help you clear your mind. You can even try some mindfulness exercises. They can help you generate fresh ideas when you get back to work. 

2. Try a digital detox

As a freelancer, you can create most of your work digitally. It is highly likely that you spend long hours glued to your computer screen. And while the internet does have its way of giving you quality content, trends, and insights, it also tends to feel overwhelming. Similarly, spending time on a mobile phone—texting, updating, checking notifications, and never allowing your thoughts to drift—can cause a creative block.

Switching off your devices (or the internet) for a short period of time can prevent brain fog. It can help manage the negative effects that social media may have on your creativity or life in general. A digital detox is a helpful tip to be creative.

3. Exercise regularly

Exercising has many well-documented benefits when it comes to overcoming creative blocks, but it’s not always something that leaps to mind when you’re struggling with creativity. Including some exercise in your breaks is a great way to clear out spiderwebs from your brain. Exercising releases serotonin, which will help keep your creative juices flowing freely. 

A brisk walk, yoga routine, strength training, or running can recharge your mood. Even a 15-minute session can help reset your system, improve your balance, and solve your problem about how to become more creative.

4. Join a freelance community

Joining a freelance community is a great way to broaden your network and stay motivated. Talking to other creatives can ignite new ideas, fuel you with great advice, and help you feel stimulated again. Moreover, such communities serve as great platforms to share and learn inspiring stories. Surrounding yourself with other creatives will make you feel you’re not alone. In the process, you will also learn about some tips to be more creative. It can also help you stay strong when the going gets tough. 

5. Find new sources of inspiration

During a creative slump, drawing inspiration from other freelancers’ works may often lead to fear, frustration, and self-criticism. Instead, try opening up to different ways to be creatively inspired. You may find unexpected inspiration in reading a book, listening to a podcast, watching a show, trying a new creative art form, or just stepping out in the fresh air. 

Another effective way to find a new source of inspiration is by creating a mood board. These ideas might not seem ground-breaking in the beginning, but they might serve as inspiration at a later stage.

6. Take time for self-care

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If you’re feeling strained or pressured, take a break and treat yourself. Self-care is the most fun remedy to recharge your creativity. Pamper your body and soul with anything from a relaxing spa treatment to a nutritious meal and a long beauty sleep. These activities can boost your mood and well-being, helping you get into the right frame of mind and become more creative.

7. Organize your workspace

The right surroundings can greatly stimulate creativity. Decluttering and organizing your workspace can eliminate distractions and unleash your creativity. Try to keep your workspace tidy and maximize natural light. Don’t clutter your space with paper, pens, files, and miscellaneous desk junk. 

Spending a few minutes organizing your workspace before you start each day can also help increase productivity. Additionally, make sure that your workspace is separate from your living space, so you aren’t drawn into distractions easily. It is one of the most helpful tips to be more creative.

8. Allow yourself to fail

Push through the fear of failure if you’re afraid your work won’t be good enough. You must not fear taking a risk to be creative. Failure is one of the key ingredients of creativity, as it helps you sharpen your skills. On the other hand, fear of failure can paralyze your mind and creative process, which, in turn, can result in a creative block. 

So, do not run behind perfection and try to let go of the pressure of creating something amazing. Instead, attempt different methods that you’re not accustomed to trying. 

Key Takeaways

• It is important to recognize the creative block you’re experiencing and do your best to push through it.
• Remembering that creativity cannot be forced, and allowing yourself to fail is the key to creative freedom.
• Sometimes a creative block comes from having/doing too much, not too little.
• Even a simple change in your surroundings can do the trick.

Conclusion

Just remember: we all experience creative blocks from time to time, so it’s not a reason to get stressed. Following these eight proven tips can help you understand how to become creative.

FAQs