Some days, creativity feels easy to come by, and almost electric. Other days, you just feel… beige.
If you’re opening a blank document and feeling absolutely nothing – no spark, no pull, no excitement – this one’s for you.
Lately, I’ve been in a creative slump myself. A heavy, slowed-down, slightly foggy state where ideas don’t feel blocked exactly, just harder to reach. Work is intense, life is full, and my personal creative reserves feel low.
And if that sounds familiar, I remind myself that:
This is normal.
This is human.
And it will pass.
Let’s talk about what a creative slump really is – and what actually helps when you, or your team are, in one.
One of my early Now Go Create podcast guests, the singer-songwriter Dyo, once said something that completely reframed how I think about creative blocks:
“Creative blocks don’t actually exist – the moment you name it, you give it power.”
A block suggests a wall – something actively stopping you.
A slump, on the other hand, feels more like quicksand – slow, heavy, draining.
But what if neither of those labels is really helpful?
What if you’re not blocked at all – you’re just in a different creative mood or even a different creative season?
Sometimes what feels like being stuck is actually your creativity asking for:
– Rest
– Play
– A change of pace
– Space to wander
– Or simply… time
When we label the experience too harshly, we risk making it feel bigger and more permanent than it really is.
The reality of creativity (it’s not always Instagram-pretty)
We love to romanticise creativity – the post-it notes, the playlists, the perfect flow state.
But real creativity looks more like this:
– Staring at a screen full of doubt
– Feeling under pressure
– Working when you don’t feel inspired
– Getting something “good enough” over the line
– Questioning yourself the whole way through
Even as someone who teaches creativity for a living, I don’t get to flick a magic switch whenever I want. Creativity moves more like a tide – it flows, it ebbs, it returns.
The worst thing we can do? Panic when it feels like it’s gone out. It hasn’t. It always comes back.
The creative CAT Scan – a simple check-in when you feel flat
When I feel out of sorts creatively, I use something I call a Creative CAT Scan. It’s a fast way to understand what’s really going on under the surface and an idea I borrowed for the amazing Elizabeth Gilbert.
You can do this in five minutes with a notebook.
C – Curiosity
Ask yourself:
– Am I still asking questions?
– Am I noticing details?
– Is anything intriguing me right now?
For me, curiosity shows up in tiny moments – like noticing tube ads on my commute and wondering:
Why that image?
Why that headline?
What was the creative thinking behind it?
When curiosity drops off, it’s often a sign I’m overwhelmed rather than uninspired.
A – Action
Ask yourself:
– Am I taking any creative action at all – even tiny ones?
This could be:
– Doodling
– Rearranging your workspace
– Taking a new route to work
– Planting bulbs in your garden
– Trying something slightly unfamiliar
Action doesn’t need momentum to start. Action creates momentum.
One brilliant tip from creative strategist Emma Mayo:
“Commit to just 10 minutes. Half of that might just be setting things up – and that’s fine. Once you start, you often keep going.”
T – Tenacity
Ask yourself:
– Am I showing myself compassion – or criticism?
– Am I pushing relentlessly instead of listening?
Coach Remy Bloomfield shared this:
“Creative slumps aren’t the enemy. They’re often a signal that something new is about to emerge – if we stop forcing it.”
Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is step back.
Here’s the coaching question I’ve been sitting with during my own slump:
“What do I want to do – purely for fun?”
No output.
No productivity.
No shoulds.
No strategy.
Just joy.
This is where Julia Cameron’s idea of the Artist Date comes in – a solo, pre-planned experience purely to feed your curiosity and creative spirit. Not for content. Not for progress. Just for aliveness.
Mine right now? I’m genuinely tempted by a flotation tank. No goal. Just curiosity.
Wherever you’re at, remember to be kind to yourself and remember you sometimes have to retreat to move ahead.