It’s not always easy to fire up your creative thinking. We’ve all been there in some way. Whether it’s writer’s block, a lack of enthusiasm for a project or just not being able to finish an essay.

Now, in an ideal world, we could all just follow the advice of Stephen King, who said:

Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.

And in a way he’s right. A lot of the time it’s a case of just powering through. But it’s not always that simple. Sometimes it just won’t come to you, no matter what. So to help you out of your creative fugue, we have a list of things to help. Next time your creative thinking just won’t come, try out some of these.

17 Ways To Fire Up Your Creative Thinking

1. Create an inspiration board. Every time you have an idea, put it on the board. Not only will this mean you don’t forget your ideas, you can look at it to help inspire your creative thinking.

2. Listen to music more. Music inspires. Simple as that. Having music on while you work can take your creativity to the next level. But some music is better than others. Try listening to the below music while you work and see if it helps.

3. Socialize more. Social interactions help bring us different views, stories and experiences that we would not have otherwise. This can lead to new ideas and inspiration,

4. De-clutter your work area. A cluttered work space is the equivalent of a cluttered mind. Throw out everything and have a good tidy. The fewer distractions the better.

5. Break out from your routine. A stale routine can lead to a stale thought process. Breaking away from your normal routine can help you to get the creative juices flowing.

6. Read more. Reading is great for the imagination and will lead you to new ideas. Not only that, but reading also allows you to concentrate more and great exercise for your mind.

7. Learn new skills. What better way to fire up your creativity than by actually being creative? Learn woodworking, crochet or any other creative hobby and feel your mental juices being to flow again.

8. Don’t compare yourself to others. Sitting there worrying because you don’t compare to Stephen King or JK Rowling is ridiculous and will lead ultimately to you never finishing anything because it’s not good enough. Remember this, comparison is the thief of joy.

9. Spy on the competition. That’s not to say steal from others. But by looking at what your competitors are doing, you can figure out new avenues for your creative thinking to take.

10. Sketch away. Doodling does not mean that you lack focus. Completely the opposite in fact. It can actually help you to stay more engaged on the task at hand. Henry Ford, JFK and Steve Jobs all used sketching as a way to start their creativity. And you can too. Sunni Brown is the author of The Doodle Revolution and believes that visual literacy unlocks the power to think differently.

11. Exercise more. Sometimes getting away from the desk and taking a break can lead you to new ideas. Going for a walk allows you to be alone with your thoughts and gives you the opportunity to think about the problem from a different, non working perspective.

12. Talk to people. Forums, blogs, in real life. Chatting to others in your field is a no brainer. Not only is it great for networking, it also allows you to get another perspective to your problems.

13. Try writing short stories. Quick exercises such as short stories can help to improve your creativity. Head over to somewhere like Writing Prompts on Reddit and try writing out one of the prompts. With over 11 million subscribers there, you might even find a new audience for your work.

14. Become an expert. No matter what field you’re in. You can learn more. And the more you know about your chosen subject, the easier it will be to find your creativity.

15. Look up. I don’t mean wander around with your head pointed skywards. I mean become observant. People watching is a great way to help you be more inspired. Everyone has a story, you just have to look for it.

16. Set a time for idea generation. And stick to it. No matter how crappy the idea, write it down. Eventually you will start to see new ideas taking shape.

17. Constantly ask questions. By asking questions of the world and the people in it, we become more aware of everything. Your perspective of the world increase as does your level of consciousness. Why? seems to be a question only children are allowed to ask, it’s time to change that.

I’d love to hear some of your suggestions for becoming more creative. Leave a comment below and let me know your ideas.