Stuck in a Rut? What To Do When You Are Bored As A Creative

Whether you call it a creative rut, a case of the uninspired blues, or you just can’t seem to find anything of interest to pursue this afternoon, than this is the post just for you. Boredom plagues us all at some point or another…maybe a lot less now that we have constant content flashing before our eyes with our phones, but it still exists. Today I️ want to talk about exactly what to do when you are bored. 

Boredom is a Good Thing

Well this feels counterintuitive to what this article is all about, but I️ have to share the full picture here. So here’s the thing, we may not always like boredom, but that doesn’t mean it’s always a bad thing. Being bored can actually improve things like mental health and creativity! 

First, boredom gives our brains a break. Our brains are constantly working and if we are constantly working, then our brains are working even harder and don’t have the space to process all of that information. By being “bored” or doing nothing you have time to process. You can reflect on things you don’t normally make the time to think about. This is great for our mental health. 

How is boredom great for creativity? It allows our brains the space to imagine. With no distractions, our minds wander. Think about when your best ideas come. It’s the middle of the night, while working out, or while in the shower, right? That is for this reason!

Finally, if we are never bored we never make the time to find ways to become “unbored.” When bored, we have the space and opportunity to explore new ideas, thoughts and overall become more curious. This can lead to amazing creative ideas. 

Read more here.

Tips for When you Just Can’t Take it Anymore

Ok, so boredom isn’t all bad, but sometimes we still want a way to get unstuck.

I️ have memories of telling my mom, “I’m bored” to which she’d reply, go out and play. I️’d skip out the door, grab a friend an before you know it we’d be playing house, selling friendship bracelets, or plotting our next big adventure. It’s not that boredom didn’t happen in our childhoods, it did, but we we accustomed to having to deal with it.  

Now, as adults we want constant stimulation and being bored can feel like a waste of our precious time. The first solution to ending boredom is to realize that it’s ok to not be filling all of your time with something productive. Also, sometimes “unproductive tasks” can be beneficial for our physical, mental or creative health. For example, if you are bored and decide to doodle in a notebook. You might think, what’s the point, this serves no purpose. In reality, doodling can give your brain the space it needs to relax and become more creative. See not all bad! 

Here are a few ideas of what to do when you are bored that are traditionally productive and some that are just for fun! 

Tip 1: Get a hobby…that you are not good at

Ok, getting a hobby is an obvious one, but one that you are bad at…not so obvious. Why do you want a hobby that is hard you ask? A hobby that is outside of your comfort zone makes our brain work in a different way. Instead of focusing on being “the best” or focusing on ways to monetize a new hobby, as creative entrepreneurs often do, this gives you the space to laugh at yourself and create for creativity’s sake. 

Tip 2: Change your environment

Fresh air, the sun, moving our bodies. Those things all are mood boosters, but take it a step further. Maybe it’s raining, now what? It can be as simple as changing your location for a little bit. Go to a store you have been wanting to scope out, go by the book store, or redecorate a room in your house if you can’t leave. Chang your environment and change your mood. Not to mention, some of my best ideas come in the car, so if you are traveling to a new location who knows what you will come up with when behind the wheel.

Tip 3: Change your appearance

This might sound a little self-indulgent but it really helps. I️ know changing my clothes, showering, even putting on makeup can give me a little mood boost and can encourage me to go out and do something exciting. 

Tip 4: Clean your space

Often rearranging or cleaning the space where we are spending most of time can give us a fresh set of eyes and a newfound excitement to be in that space. Sometimes I️ confuse boredom with frustration of working from home and constantly being in the same small space. Adding fresh flowers, cleaning up around the studio or even redesigning my office can all change my mindset. Plus it takes up a good amount of that time when you’d otherwise be bored. 

Tip 5: Get moving

This one’s obvious. Get up and get moving. This is a great way to combat boredom and to quote Elle Woods, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t…” get bored, right? 

I️ hope you founds these fast five tips helpful for the next time you are bored. To be quite honest, I️ was very bored before starting to write this article. I took a shower and went for a short walk and here we are. Those two things inspired me to write this article and voila I️’m no longer bored! So what are you going to do?

I️ hope today's post gave you a few ideas of what to do when you are bored.