5 Ways to Boost Your Creativity

Whether you’re writing copy for your business or designing a poster, being creative can often be a challenge. Creative moods can come and go, making it hard to get into a creative space if you’re not feeling up to the challenge at that particular time.

Luckily, it’s easy to inspire the creative sections of your brain into working at their best. In this guide, we’ll share five simple tips to boost your creativity and make it easier to design, write, or complete any creativity-focused task.

Start from the end and work backwards

It’s often harder to write the first sentence or take the first brush stroke than to do the rest of what’s required to complete a project. Instead of starting from the start, try starting from the end and working backwards.

For copy, this could mean writing your call to action first and then writing the rest of your copy after. For design, it could mean sketching page elements together instead of starting with one element and completing the rest afterward.

Start from the end and work backwards and you’ll quickly discover that writing the first word or taking the first brush stroke isn’t difficult, at least not once you’ve put your pen to paper and created something.

Create a design collection or swipe file

Before he became a film director, Quentin Tarantino worked for several years in a video rental store. There, he watched thousands of movies, creating a collection of films that helped him develop the creativity for his career.

Creating a collection of designs, books and other creative works that you like is an excellent way to improve your own creativity, especially if you’re going through a creative slump that makes taking action difficult.

If you ever find yourself struggling to be creative, just flick through your collection and take note of work that you like. You’ll often find inspiration and ideas that help you become more creative yourself.

Sketch and doodle without a specific goal

Sometimes the best ideas are the result of experimentation. From famous songs that came about because of aimless jam sessions to movies that grew from an idea into a major blockbuster, small ideas can turn into serious achievements.

If you’re struggling to produce any creative output, put pen to paper and try to write or design without any goal in mind. Doodle and sketch aimlessly to see what you can come up with on the spot.

Some of your best ideas might be the result of sketching or writing sessions that you never thought would achieve anything. From great new names or marketing ideas to iconic logos, you’ll be amazed to see what a sketching or writing session can create.

Use other artists or brands for inspiration

Who are your favorite creative people? One of the best ways to boost your creativity is to surround yourself with other creative people, or alternatively to view the work of other creative people.

If you’re struggling to be creative, don’t force it. Take some time off to visit the local art gallery or see a movie you’re interested in. If you’re struggling to design a logo or brochure, flick through a design board or search for work by your favorite designer.

There’s nothing wrong with using other artists or brands for inspiration – after all, they also have their influences. Use other people’s work as a source of inspiration to fuel your creativity and increase your personal output.

Aim for completion, not perfection

When you start a new creative project, it’s easy to lose focus once you realize just how much time you’ll need to commit to it. This can result in hundreds of creative pieces that, while started, aren’t yet finished.

Instead of aiming for perfection and holding off on starting something new, aim for completion and don’t feel bad if something isn’t perfect. Finishing a design might not give you perfection, but it gets you far closer than giving up and moving on.

No one achieves perfection, at least not by their own standards. Instead of failing to take action because you’re worried about something falling short of excellent, make completion your objective to inspire the creative aspects of your personality.

Still feeling stuck?

Ask your prospects what they want. What you discover may inspire your next creative project or campaign.