Motivation and I have a love-hate relationship. Sometimes procrastination wins, and I find myself doing nothing with hundreds of creative ideas swirling in my head. I want to get up and create and take those ideas out of my head and onto ‘paper’, but the motivation isn't there. I know I can't possibly be the only one that sometimes struggles with this, so I thought I'd share how I get myself out of that funk.

1. Turn off tech. Eek! That sounds daunting, but it works. Leaving music on is ok.  Sometimes, I'll play instrumental music while reading a book, taking a bath, or just sitting with nothing but my thoughts. Our minds and bodies need to be reset sometimes. I've found what works for me is to disconnect, even if for only a few minutes. 

2. Do the opposite. Mostly create a Word Doc or Adobe CC? Switch it up and make something for fun, or on a subject outside your norm, and create something for your eyes only; using a new or seldomly used material. For me, that's using a journal and any writing utensils I've got handy. I recently started a scrapbook journal, and knowing that it's just for creativity makes me feel rejuvenated.

3. Talk about it. Sometimes I use my husband as a sounding board, or a close friend. You know when you can't decide between two things so you ask someone for advice? Then, as soon as they start talking, you make your decision and no longer want to hear their thoughts? (😂) This is kinda like that. Tell someone you're not motivated, or you're creatively stuck, whatever you need to let go of. You never know what they may say, or what you may think, that could spark a new go-getter attitude. 

4. Take a class or use a tutorial. There are so many fun online classes you can take that could really kick start your motivation; many for free. Don’t have the time to sit and consume it now? Save it, download it, or bookmark it. As soon as you feel you’re going to run out of creative steam, revisit it and use it to kickstart some motivation. 

5. Add a reward. I've seen college students all over the internet  putting pieces of candy throughout their textbooks, incentivizing them to keep going. Do this with your creativity. I really enjoy buying a new set of pens, or digital brushes, or maybe something non-creative... like a free morning where there's no pressure to do anything because you did x-y-z to earn it. 

These are a few of my tricks that I try and use every so often to keep things fresh. Have you tried anything on this list? Or do you have something that works for you I didn't list? Share them with us!