We’ve all been there. As a writer, it’s easy to get in a rut and lose that sense of motivation. I’m in it right now. And especially as someone who writes and creates all day in a 9-5 job, it can be hard to find the creative energy when I come home to write about something I actually care about. Here’s my top five tips to get out of a writing slump and get back on track.
How to Get Out of a Writing Rut
1. Get out of the house
After an eight hour work day, the last thing you want to do is get out your laptop and start working again, even if it is for your own enjoyment. If you don’t want to associate your home with your workplace, take your writing outside. Go to a coffee shop, a park, or a community workspace if your city has one. The chatter and change of scenery around you can spark inspiration your couch just can’t.
2. Work with other creatives
The life of a freelance writer can get lonely sometimes. Search instagram hashtags or blogs in your city to find other bloggers or writers to connect with. It makes things easier if you have someone to talk to that’s going through the same struggles. Meet for coffee and work on your writing together and bounce ideas off one another.
3. Do some housework
Stretch your limbs for a bit and get up to do some housework. Give your eyes and fingers a break from the computer screen and dust your desk instead. I believe if you’ve got a clean environment around you, your work will feel less cluttered too.
4. Create a playlist
If dead silence isn’t your thing while writing, create a playlist for background noise. Spotify and Apple Music always have great playlists pre-populated to fit different genres and moods. My tip is to listen to music you already know so you won’t be focusing on the lyrics and sounds of new music. Noisli is a great app and website that provides noises to increase productivity, like thunderstorms and rain.
5. Look at other blogs
When in doubt, take a look at what other blogs are talking about. It’s inevitable that everyone could be talking about the same thing, but offer your own perspective and advice to set your post apart. Gather design and content ideas and put your own spin on them. Some of my favorite blogs include What Olivia Did, The Anna Edit, and Estee Lalonde.
Oh man, I have been there more times than I can count. Moreso with photography than writing, although I also do a fair amount of copywriting at my current 9-5! But yeah, with photography especially… after spending an entire day on my feet doing product photography or an entire day in photoshop, the thought of personal work is not appealing at all. In fact most of my friends are surprised to see that I never really carry my camera with me!
I feel like I get into ruts most often when I’m either bored or drained. If I’m bored, some kind of challenge or experiment can usually do the trick. If I’m drained, I need to listen to my body/brain and give myself time to recharge!
When it comes to writing in particular, sometimes I just need to word vomit out onto the screen and edit later. That seems to do the trick!
I’ll have to try some of these suggestions next time 🙂
Thanks for such a thoughtful comment, Liz. I couldn’t agree more!
Fab post! Creating a playlist is my way to wind down and re charge 🙂
Emma | http://www.lifeofemmax.co.uk