Designer’s block is very real and may strike at the most inopportune times. It doesn’t care about your decades’ worth of hands-on experience or that fast-approaching deadline. You might not be able to avoid designer’s block entirely, but you can get ready for and minimize its negative effects. Here are the six steps you’ll want to take to make your creative block much more manageable.
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Not all creative blocks are equal. For example, you might stumble at the very beginning, during a project’s ideation stage, if the brief is vague or the project feels dull. Or, your mind might lock up when trying to implement client suggestions because of a mismatch between their outsider vision and your expertise.
Take a (mental) note during the block’s onset and focus on potential triggers. Even if you can’t find any right away, recognizing that you’re approaching burnout in general is valuable insight. Try to work your frustrations out, either by laying them out in a private journal or venting to a friend who also works in a creative field.
Creativity can’t be forced, but it can be nurtured to serve you more reliably. Developing habits or small rituals that reinforce positive behavior is key to this. You might set aside 10 minutes each day to marvel at the latest designs from colleagues you follow on Dribbble or create a quick, unrelated mockup before starting work on a regular project.
Maintaining more mundane aspects of a routine is also important, especially if you freelance or travel. Set up and stick to regular hours. Take breaks when you need to, and learn how to leave thoughts of work behind once it’s time to clock out.
While counterintuitive, pulling the brakes is one of the most effective things to do to overcome creative block. Turn the screen off. Go for a jog or take a stroll through nature if there’s some nearby.
Giving yourself permission not to obsess over your current design problem gives you a much-needed mental reset. Getting yourself in that clear headspace lets creativity flow again. If you’re not convinced, just consider how many times the perfect solution suddenly hit you when you were doing the dishes or taking a shower.
It’s harder to be creative when you’re just going through the motions of designing your 100th brochure or product animation. Complacency and growth don’t mix, so set aside the project you’re making no headway on and try something completely different.
Are you a master of logo design? Then ditch mathematical precision and try some freehand drawing. Do you work exclusively in 2D? Then maybe it’s time to give 3D modeling a shot. These first projects will likely turn out worse than you’re used to. That’s to be expected and absolutely fine; you’re not chasing perfection in a new field but opening up your horizons to new possibilities.
Used conscientiously, generative AI is a powerful tool for augmenting, not replacing, your creativity. You can give an LLM an overview of what you want to accomplish and have it help brainstorm more specific ideas. The next step is to use an image generation tool to bring those ideas to life and create many possible iterations that would take far too long to explore on your own.
Think of AI platforms as a springboard. They help visualize your ideas and steer your creativity in the direction you want to go quickly. It’s still up to your design skills and eye for details like composition, use of white space, and color to turn these rough drafts into client-ready deliverables.
Working on complex projects inevitably leads to tunnel vision. Staring at the same mockups for too long leads to either obsessing over details no one will care about or missing flaws you’d find glaring otherwise.
Sometimes, getting rid of your creative block means getting a second opinion. Colleagues are always a good start, but they’re more likely to get hung up on the same design specifics you are. Ask friends and family what they’d change or improve, especially if they’re likely to use that product or website you’re designing.
To learn more about incorporating diverse feedback into your creative process, check out our article on Design Thinking Stages – The Significance and Implementation.
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