As a creative professional you already have everything you need to be your creative best, it’s just sometimes, something gets in your way, something blocks your flow and your capacity to create.
There’ll be times when the ideas keep coming, when you’re on a roll and everything just clicks. Working with your colleagues is energising as you build on each others great ideas. Everyone is heard, encouraged, supported and the studio vibe is upbeat and fun. Your ideas develop at unbelievable speed and you know the creative impact you're going to make. You're enthusiastic and passionate about delivering your ideas. You feel fulfilled, alive and on it and with luck the reputation of the studio is going to go through the roof. This is why you do what you do; to innovate, to push the boundaries, to excel and to thrive at what you do best.
Then there'll be times when a deadline is looming, you're surrounded by empty coffee cups and the screen is blank. Morale is low and you bash heads with your colleagues. As the pressure mounts no one’s listening or connecting. Time is spent batting down ideas before they’ve had the chance to be really heard. You're tense and frustrated, it’s a crucial pitch, the studio’s credibility is on the line. You repurpose previous ideas just to get something done. You feel the frustration of being formulaic, repetitive, of feeling uninspired and drained. Doubt and indecision are at the forefront of your mind, and you feel heavy, low and disengaged. As overwhelm hits you start to doubt your own creative ability and secretly worry that you might actually be losing it.
So where are you spending most of your professional working life – in block or flow?
Whatever your experience at work may be, there is an understanding that can show you how to navigate your blocks and spend much more of your time in the flow. It’s what I teach, write about and share – and I’m passionate about it, because it works.
When I’m speaking on stage or running a programme, one of the first questions I often ask creative professionals is “Where do you have your best ideas?” and one of most frequent answers is always “In the shower.”
These creatives were at the top of their game and picking up their awards later that evening, but even though they were the best of the best, they still encountered the same universal experience of creative block and flow, which they shared after the session.
You’ll also have of experienced times when the flow is just not happening, no matter how many coffees or brainstorming sessions you have, time races by without anything forming, doubt is in the forefront of your mind and you feel pretty unconfident with the way things are going.
As a creative you accept this is as the norm, it’s just how things roll, the ebb and flow of a creative life. You surf like the best on the crest of your flow states and cautiously tread water during your blocks, trying your best not to go under before the next ride comes along.
Hi, I’m Donna Churchman. During my 22 years in the creative industry, I've had my share of anxiety, overwhelm and burnout that blocked my creativity and impacted my mental health. By understanding what happens and why, I now help other creative professionals through these experiences, so they can achieve high levels of mental wellbeing and a renewed ability to create.
