Happy New Year, Archihacks Fam! Itās time to set and chase after those New Yearās resolutions, and we are here to help along the way! Todayās topic is to discuss and share ways to overcome a mental block that anyone can get without any cause. Ask yourself; have you ever felt a creative drain, and you donāt feel right whatever you are creating? All of us at ArchiHacks have at one point or another, and itās completely normal to feel this way! We find ourselves at an impasse between creative freedom and practice, especially when our livelihood or grades are on the line. This occurrence can pressure you and quickly replace the love of the design to feelings of obligation or creating as a chore. Unfortunately, at the same time, creativity comes and goes, but these eight tips can help you overcome the block and feel rejuvenated to create again!
1. Don't Fight, Just Breathe!
Itās safe to say that when we, as designers, hit a mental block, itās instinctive to tread forward so a project can be ācompleteā even when we feel miserable. We want to share that itās okay if you work through that feeling, but if not ā donāt fight it, and just breathe! Thereās absolutely nothing wrong with stepping back from your designs or creative endeavors so you can see the complete picture of the direction you are heading in!
The amazing and sometimes aggravating aspect of designing is the discovery. Designers generally have a direction or a concept, but you canāt bulldoze the process into a linear path. When forcing your way through a creative block, thereās no joy in creating and running the possibility of your creation being entirely different than what you envisioned. Regardless, breathe, take your time, and start when you can.
2. Alternative Outlets
Does this sound right? To overcome a creative block, explore other creative outlets. It should. Exploring other creative interests is an excellent opportunity for you to allow separation. Relax, and have fun creating just to create! Like in life, moderation is an important lesson, and it applies to even design and creativity. If you are a professional or student, we believe having another design outlet that is more rapid than architecture allows your sanity to stay intact. The nature of architecture has a long duration and creative drive might lower, so exploring alternatives could re-invigorate the passion and get over any mental blocks that may occur!
3. Take One Step Towards Unknown
Ambiguity, the unknown, and exploration are no strangers to designers, but naturally, we all have a little perfectionist side. When perfection steps into a creative block, itās normal to feel fearful and scared not to execute things well. This is entirely normal, and when exploring other options for creative outlets, take one step at a time, and donāt be afraid to mess up.
The enemy of action is inaction, so when facing a creative block, one should just create to start, however after the first few, begin to create with intention. For example, draw a single line, then let your mind decide the following line. Before you know it, it becomes an abstract art of confusion. Take another step back, question it, and push it to the side, then see whether the next one ignites something, then the next, then the next until there is a series, which then you can formulate a question or statement. This method could have you break through the block without realizing it at all!
4. Look for Inspiration
Another excellent way to feel inspired and get over a creative bump is to take a look at the works of your favorite designer! This can span architecture, interior designers, or fashion designers! However, please donāt overwhelm yourself with thoughts about these great works and assume that itās unattainable by you. Imagine the work is done by a colleague and question how to achieve the same level of quality!
If you exhausted all of your favorite designersā bodies of work, luckily, there are multiple online resources to see other works of creatives, like Architizer, ArchDaily, Behance, or Arch-Hive.
5. Reading Books
Like reviewing your favorite designer(s) body of work, I like to read philosophical or poetry books that provide insights into life and morality. For example, Iāve been reading All About Love by Bell Hooks, an excellent short book that discusses society and the nature of love. It is an entirely different thought process, but it allows me to step back from being a designer and become a person I could design for.
The type of book isnāt essential, but rather the action of reading allows a mental step back from a mindset of, āI am a designer.ā The shift protects me from being overwhelmed with my endeavors and re-prioritizes goals. Besides, if you think about it, an author is a designer too ā from the text to the images that fill our heads!
6. Revisit Old Ideas
Old ideas can contain such rich and āinnocentā concepts of ideas that, at the moment, one wasnāt entirely sure how to answer. When we refer to innocent concepts, it is the state where creative passion wasnāt overtaken by the practical or ārealisticā view of architecture, but the pure joy of āwhat if?ā Do you remember having a passion project or a design question that was never answered? Why not leap and explore those to see if you can find the excitement to create again!
7. Surround Yourself with Creatives
What better way to find delight in creating than to be in the presence of those who love creating? This is an opportunity to get out of the comfort zone and seek different creators, like musicians, singers, videographers, artists, or writers. Find friends or new individuals that can inspire or challenge your design principles! These people will or can be the catalyst for you to transform and get over the creative block.
8. Create Achievable Goals
Creativity with no limiting factors creates two scenarios; innovation or chaos. When presented with too many options, it isnāt easy to make choices. Now, combine that with a mental block with a splash of perfectionism ā are you on the cusp of innovation or chaos? After recuperating, you can slowly get over the block by creating achievable goals! A common assumption is that design-oriented or creative is just that, but itās a skill that must be practiced daily and honed.
Start with small goals and then create bigger ones once you feel more motivated! The exact science behind this is similar to making your bed in the morning! Letās use the previous example of the line drawing; challenge yourself to quickly create six or more line art pieces for two weeks. Follow up by intentionally creating and reducing the amount to three, and ultimately, come up with one final piece that summarizes what you discovered through a series of work.
Well, thatās all we have for you today, and if youāve made it this far, you deserve a cookie. I hope you found this article interesting and took something from it! Sharing is caring! We hope to provide you with valuable insights and share them with someone who might find this helpful. Make sure to follow our Youtube and Instagram for more content!