Published on <a href="https://blog.prototypr.io/creative-block-part-2-prevention-d072541482d5?source=rss----eb297ea1161a---4">| Prototyping: From UX to Front End &mdash; Medium</a> Tanja Šovanj 
In <a href="https://blog.prototypr.io/creative-block-i-part-possible-causes-9cbc5ce60f10">the first part</a> we have seen that a creative block usually occurs as a consequence of our own (in)actions and decisions. The good news is that we can prevent it by taking some basic steps upfront.
<h3>Every project requires good, detailed preparation</h3>
A thorough preparation is crucial for success of any project. In the field of design, that means doing a detailed analysis of client’s request. The more information you gain from that process, the easier it will be for you to create a satisfying user experience.
So, try to be as detailed as you can as you analyze the project brief, discuss requirements and gather information from your client. Get to the bottom of things, be specific while asking questions to understand the goals of the project.
Try to anticipate some of the potential problems that may occur during the project and discuss them with your client. As a rule of thumb, if there are any ambiguities that would impact the design, you should ask the client to clarify them for you before you begin working.
Write down literary everything that’s related to the project and make a detailed plan of your working days, so that you know exactly what you’ll be doing and when. When you get all of that clear, you would be able to manage your web design project with certainty and the chances you’ll have to deal with a creative block will be reduced to the minimum.
<img alt="" src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*lo5d2iVmAtHZ56ywElQZyw.jpeg">
<h3>Choose a project that interests you</h3>
As freelance designers, we have an opportunity to work on projects from a wide variety of fields. And as professionals — without getting into the topic of ethics — in theory we would deliver equally well in each one of them.
However, the fact is that we all have our personal views and preferences, and that there is a fraction of projects which we would truly rather not participate in. If that is the case, be honest with yourself and your potential client by declining the offer. There are plenty of other opportunities for you out there which will boost both your creativity and productivity.
<img alt="" src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*UzQKG0anh3r38H4rFBoJlg.jpeg">
<h3>Always be inspiring yourself</h3>
To produce good ideas on a daily basis our creativity needs to be continuously exposed to inspiring work of others and rich personal experiences. We can find inspiring ideas everywhere around us: in other branches of art, different cultures, history, movies, comics, literature and music.
Our cognition and ideas accumulate over time. Although that process isn’t so obvious, if we regularly fill our creative storage with new ideas we’ll always be able to spark creative thinking in our work. So, follow your inspiration and expose yourself to different creative influences.
<blockquote>In reality, creativity is the ability to reach inside yourself and drag forth from your very soul an idea.</blockquote>
<blockquote>Lou Dorfsman (design chief for CBS Radio and later the CBS Television)</blockquote>
<h3>Change your work routine from time to time</h3>
If you’re a bit like myself, you’ll be more productive if your workflow is slightly changing from day to day. Monotony kills creativity, so there’s no room for it in any creative field. To beat it, play with your everyday routine.
If you’re freelancing, change your work space, go to a nearby caffe or visit a coworking space. Take yourself out for a lunch or grab a fresh juice on your way to work. Ride a bike during your lunch break. Design something just for fun or blog about your workflow. Change the order of your daily activities and do first the things you would usually do at the end of your day. Break an unproductive day by changing the plan a little bit!
<img alt="" src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*n5zOcgVF9JBJZ3KxsWhICQ.jpeg">
<h3>Face your problems</h3>
We all get stuck in life sometimes or at least have that kind of a feeling. Problems won’t get solved on their own. So, you must take courage and strength to face them. Find out what is wrong and think about the ways to change that. Our mind works better when it’s not burdened with problems.
<blockquote>Every problem has in it the seeds of its own solution. If you don’t have any problems, you don’t get any seeds.</blockquote>
<blockquote>Norman Vincent Peale</blockquote>
Take a one-day vacation in the nature. It will calm you down. You’ll restart and recharge your system, and you’ll be able to easier detect your problems and find the best way to solve them. And by doing that your creativity will be back in full swing.
<h3>Summary and final thoughts</h3>
It seems that we often tend to forget the law of cause and effect, and attribute creative block to a case of bad luck — something we have no control over. The truth, however, is the opposite. By detecting and analysing the causes of creative block we can come up with solutions to avoid and overcome it.
Instead of agonizing, celebrate the appearance of your creative block and the possibilities for learning and growth that come with it.
I hope that I’ve managed to demystify the circumstances which cause a creative block and give you some ideas on handling the problem. I’d like to hear how you cope with this and what tricks you use to get the most out of it, so let me know by posting a comment.
Thank you for reading! If you liked the article, please give it a ❤ so that more people could see it. 🙂
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<a href="https://blog.prototypr.io/creative-block-part-2-prevention-d072541482d5">Creative block (part 2): Prevention</a> was originally published in <a href="https://blog.prototypr.io">prototypr</a> on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Creative block (part 2): Prevention

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