Image on Mental Blocks by Marta Nogueira on Pexels
Have you ever felt that you simply can’t move past a set of thoughts? As if you are stuck at very limiting ideas or beliefs around a particular task? Do you feel uninspired to complete your work? What you are facing is a mental block on creativity, and the projects at hand, making it extremely challenging to achieve your timelines.
A mental block is the shutdown of your logical and creative thinking to a large extent. When you are stuck, you are highly boxed into thinking either a repetitive and limiting pattern of thoughts or are simply overwhelmed with the problem statement. It is usually a tiring state of being and can seem challenging to overcome if you are a writer, painter, musician, or dancer and your job involves creativity.
What causes mental block?
Mental blocks are a common phenomenon. In fact, according to a survey, about one-third of creative professionals face creative block due to tight timelines. Here are some of the reasons why you might be facing a block:
- Work burnout: If you have been stretching your work schedule for the past couple of days or weeks, it is simply a matter of time before you face a mental block.
- Chaotic work culture: Unclear job expectations, demanding role, or stressful work environment can also lead to an impending block.
- Lack of sleep: Lack of adequate rest or sleep can also make it challenging to focus on work. If you have been facing any stress or anxiety on the personal front, or are being overly occupied in the physical or emotional space, then focusing on work can become challenging.
- Lack of nutrition: Have you been taking the required nutrition? Have a closer look at your diet, and check levels of Vitamin B12 and folic acid.
- Perfection or self-doubt: The result of being a flag bearer of perfectionism or lack of confidence can have the same impact- mental block. In either of the scenarios, our focus is on how we cannot get the work completed, which makes it easy for the brain to find good reasons to make it a reality.
- Fear of failure or criticism: If you are excessively worried about the negative result of the work, there are high chances you will remain jumbled up with your thoughts and find it challenging to take productive measures to actually complete the work.
Tips and Tricks to Get Over a Mental Block
1. Confess that you have a mental block
Before you begin working on the solutions to resolve a mental block, start by identifying and confessing it first. Once you realize you are facing one, identify the fears and reasons behind it. If your workspace allows that, reach out to your colleague or mentor and talk about your mental block and the reasons behind it. The chances are you will find an effective way out simply by discussing your challenges with the right people. If sharing it in the workspace is challenging, confide in a friend outside of work. Don’t worry if the friend can’t provide you with a solution. Simply having a conversation with someone can give you a much-needed pause from the barriers you’ve built in your mind.
2. Take a break
There is no point pushing yourself when the brain is on a shutdown. Instead of sitting at your desk with the phone, consider taking a walk or stretching up a bit. Studies show that physical movement or a walk can reduce stress hormones and enhance neuroplasticity, which can enhance learning and problem-solving capabilities, making it easier to overcome mental blocks. Moving the body can also help put on the creative hat and help you generate new ideas and solutions.
Music is also an incredible source to reduce your stress and has an effect on dopamine, responsible for the feeling of pleasure. You can try the sounds of flowing water, winds, or birds chirping to relax your mind and restore your focus.
3. Seek inspiration
The best way to remove a mental block is to seek inspiration within or outside of you with the right examples. If you are an advertising creative copywriter, check out how some of your favorite advertisements were executed and interviews of the team behind them. How about the story behind the product you are working on? You can pick on some tips and tricks on youtube or award-winning projects. Exposing yourself to some success stories and the story behind them can also help you overcome your mental block
Offering help to someone or taking a break from your ongoing project can bring in a mindset shift. Have a quick conversation with a colleague who has been working on another project. Offer some help where you can, and you would be surprised by your own insights.
4. Workstation makeover or shift
Sometimes, a temporary shift in the workstation can help you get over the mental block. Work from some conference room, sit by the window, or move to a garden. Simply pick up a space that seems comfortable. A shift in space would also mean being around another set of people, which may be helpful in decluttering your mind. You can also take a pause and decorate or reorganize your workstation. Add some colors and pictures that remind you of your accomplishments and success at work.
If you have the flexibility of remote work, try out working from a beachside or a place overlooking a forest or mountains. While holidays and work may not be your usual thing, working from a space closer to nature has incredible benefits, the biggest of which is enhanced creativity.
5. Revisit your to-do list
If you still have a mental block, slow down your pace. Revisit your to-do list and see if you really need to complete everything right now. Placing a long list of 20 things to be completed at the end of the day is challenging, and put you under unnecessary stress. Make space by not scheduling any new meetings, and cut short the discussions, which can be managed in less time. Focus on the 2-3 priorities for the day and push other things for the next day. Start with something which is relatively mechanical or that seems easy for you to complete. You will be at more ease with some tasks off your list, helping you overcome the mental block. You can also consider delegating or outsourcing some of your workload to others.
6. High-vibe food
Be conscious of your choice of food under stress. Overeating and consuming a high intake of sugar or caffeine are some of the common unhealthy, unintentional food choices we resort to in stress. Stress eating has nothing to do with hunger but is largely controlled by our intent to comfort ourselves. The problem is that you will be far from comfortable. Research shows that high levels of sugar or fatty foods aren’t just addictive, but also impair your cognitive skills and decrease self-control.
Instead, you can try high vibrational food by consuming nuts, fresh seasonal fruits, salads, and vegetables. High-vibration food can help you calm down, have a healthier body, more focused mind.
7. Time blocks
Instead of allocating time for each of your activities in the to-do list, schedule your day through time blocking. Time blocking is blocking your calendar as per the broad goals you have set for the day. So instead of scheduling five activities with one hour each, you schedule 2 hours for writing, followed by an hour for meeting, and another 3 hours for graphic designing. Time blocking helps you put together tasks that need similar skills and allocate time accordingly. This enables you to boost productivity. Also, remember to park time for regular breaks.
8. Focus on one task at a time
Multitasking is a misconception, which is backed by research. Studies show that humans cannot multitask. What we can do at best is- switch between tasks, which takes in a lot of our productive energy. That is because our brain takes some adequate time to focus when we keep shifting our focus between tasks. So while you may believe that you are attending a phone call while parallelly drafting the mail, however, that simple mail can be drafted much more quickly if you just put the phone down. When you focus on one thing and complete it before shifting to the other, your productivity increases.
9. Mindfulness
Most of the mental blocks delve into the past or the possibilities of the future. Shifting your focus back to the present moment through some mindfulness exercises is an easy way out to overcome a mental block.
How to avoid mental blocks
Why get into a block when you can adopt these steps and prevent it:
1. Work-life balance
Maintain a healthy number of work hours to minimize the chance of burnout. Plan challenging yet realistic monthly and weekly goals for yourself and your team.
2. Meditate
Meditation is a great way to minimize the chances of having a mental block. A few minutes of silence every day can equip you to deal with stress and anxiety.
3. Take out time for yourself
Practice self-love and spend some time with yourself. We don’t mean shopping or planning for a holiday, but cherishing small breaks with friends and family. Find an opportunity to rejuvenate, unwind, and take up things that make you happy, like painting, watching your favorite movie, or going out for a drink with friends. Prioritize your health and mental well-being.
4. Up-skill yourself
Find time to upskill yourself by enrolling in some courses, workshops, or networking groups. When you are up to date with all the information and skills required for your job, you will be more confident to deal with all work challenges.
