This one is for all of our fellow creatives out there; whether you work in marketing, paint, write music, tell stories, or take photos, it can be difficult to stay creative and relevant. As a branding agency, we know the creative process very well and the highs and lows that come with it. Creating custom gear isn’t as easy as we make it seem! Keeping inspiration looks very different for everyone, and it can be a push to get the "creative juices" flowing. And, if you're a company that doesn't feel that they're qualified to "be creative", then it can be even more difficult. So how can you stay creative in today's world of content? 

Consume

We know it sounds counter-intuitive to take in other creative content, especially if you like to unplug, but consuming the work of those that inspire you can be a huge help in honing your style and generating new ideas. When generating content for your social media, look at companies that are growing or are known for their social presence. These are often companies that are doing something creative and are up to date with trends. Don’t limit yourself to just one type of media, though. Find forms or media that are vastly different from what you are trying to create, and allow the artists' message to influence the way you think about your content. It’s important not to just copy and paste others' content though. Not only could this be a legal problem, but your audience will perceive you as unauthentic and disengage with you.

Create Even When You Can’t

Even when you feel uninspired, it's important to start your project. Henri Matisse said, "Don’t wait for inspiration. It comes while working. " Start working on the project. So what if the first draft isn’t the final? It’s about creating! Failing forward, while a bit of a cliche, is a great mindset to have. Not only will you become better at both your craft and its process, but you’ll find your style and make it your craft. As you work through your project, you’ll begin to see smaller details that start to pull the whole idea together, but you can’t see the small details until you start looking at the bigger picture and familiarizing yourself with your craft.

Plug Into a New Outlet

Sometimes, though, you just can’t get moving. It's like you’re pushing against a brick wall while standing on ice. Try doing something entirely different, similar to consuming different content. Whether you get up and move, go from painting to photography, or go make food, it’s always a good idea to let your mind reorient itself from your previous task. The more drastic the change, the better results we tend to see, especially when changing the form of work – from a lot of thinking (like writing) to something hands-on (like making coffee) – can let your brain move outside of the boundaries you were operating within on your previous project. Another form of this is changing your environment. If you’ve been sitting in the office all day, try going to a local coffee shop, and if you can’t leave the office, go outside and work or even just take a quick walk. A change of scenery helps you to restart both you and your brain.

Some of our favorite ways to get inspired

• Listen to music; the more vibey and upbeat, the better.

• Go for a drive

• Go for a walk

• Look at film photography or some sort of inspiration. 

• Walk around an art museum.

• Watch a movie; the more cinematic the better

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Don't be hesitant to contact us if you still see yourself in that creative rut. Sometimes, as people, we need help and with our creative team at Flywheel we can be sure to spark that inspiration right back into you. All it takes is a different perspective at times.

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