Lately, I’ve been writing quite a bit – some weeks busting out three articles a week for Advertising Week and the Examiner – and yet, I’ve ignored this blog.  I’m sorry, friends.

To start making up for it, I’ll give you a couple quality posts this coming month; I promise.  If you’d like me to address something specific about moving up in your career, creating work-life balance, or something else creative career related, please leave a comment below (or e-mail me privately at angela@definingsuccesscoaching.com).

In the meantime, check out the fun list I created for an article on inspiration.  These are life experience-type ideas that don’t take as much time or commitment as the usual examples of traveling, skydiving, learning a language or taking an art class.  Give some of these a try (or let them inspire you to create your own list) that you can pull from when you hit a creative block:

  • Watch a foreign film (with or without the subtitles)
  • Hang out in a store you’d be embarrassed to be caught in
  • Crash a party or happy hour (You get extra points if it’s an industry-specific event for an industry you know little about. Hint: These are constantly taking place in hotel ballrooms.)
  • Search for the perfect gift for the weirdest person you know (and who isn’t a close friend)
  • Learn to fix something mechanical (e.g., old clock, typewriter, motor)
  • Eat at a foreign restaurant where you know nothing about the type of food
  • Attend an open mic or beat poetry night
  • Go to the most bizarre niche MeetUp group event you can find
  • Get to know festival/carnival/fair workers and their stories (Yes, befriending carnies will inspire you. Trust my experience.)
  • Volunteer at a food bank
  • Spend time in a musical instrument store (if you don’t usually)
  • Play with Mad Libs

Read the full article on ways to get unstuck creatively, if you’d like.  If you do, you’ll learn about my “carny days.”

Remember to leave a comment (or e-mail me directly) if you have something you’d like this blog to answer for you.  What would you like help with?

Angela Martin, CC, BCC

Recent Posts

5 Days of Work Doesn’t Fit into 4 Days

The no-work-on-Monday-because-it's-a-holiday workweek. (Thanks, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, and Martin Luther…

7 years ago

What is in Your Way? The Less Obvious Distractions

Distractions are more than that phone call from a salesperson or the latest YouTube video.…

11 years ago

When “Just Do It” Doesn’t Work

That big project is weighing heavy on your shoulders. That little task is nagging at…

11 years ago

How NOT to Manage Creative People

[A bit of a rant with tips on creative management - managing creatives and managing…

12 years ago

To This Day Project – Animated Video with a Heart-Centered Message

When artists, designers, animators, and all the talented people who choose to work in advertising…

12 years ago

Publicly Venting on The Creative Confessional

[written and posted Jan. 25, 2013] What is the advertising industry about? Over and over…

12 years ago