Social media is a very creative thing. Yes, it is analytical, with watching insights, and tracking growth, etc. but creating social media posts that grab attention, designing graphics, writing copy, choosing images that resonate with your audience, all require a huge amount of creativity.
But what if you lose your creativity?
I’ve been struggling recently with creating content. I was on a great schedule of creating a blog, video and podcast once a week, and it wasn’t hard at all. In fact, I enjoyed it. But something happened and I all of a sudden felt… blah.
I thought maybe it was because I had a pretty big change and my schedule and routine changed, but I was still struggling. Here are some ways I was able to find my creativity again and how to get your creativity back.
Do something different
I thought that if I needed to be inspired to create more marketing and social media content, that listening to marketing podcasts would help. But it didn’t.
I decided to do something different, and listened to podcasts about joy, and being happier, and random podcasts about things I hadn’t listened to before.
I also took an art journalling class (which was SO good) and learned some new art techniques, and allowed myself to feel inspired and creative again.
I started a new blog where I write about finding your passion, being happier, and living a life you want. This allowed me to write about something different and find a new creative outlet.
I was so focused on my social media ‘bubble’ that I was only surrounding myself with marketing podcasts, marketing blogs, marketing people on Instagram. And when you aren’t feeling creative, that likely won’t spark much creativity.
Think of what inspires you. For me, it’s art and painting. For you, it could be music, building something, walking, nature, whatever. And if nothing inspires you, just try anything new.
Trying a few new things got me to think in a new way, think about new things, and help to get my creativity back.
Go easy on yourself
One thing I do too much, is be too hard of myself. Do you do this?
If I have a schedule of things to do, and I don’t get it done, I get upset at myself. But shouldn’t we cut ourselves a little bit of slack every once in awhile.
When I was feeling very uncreative, I felt so awful for not creating a consistent amount of content each week. I thought What will happen to my YouTube channel if I don’t create a video each week? I’ll likely lose subscribers and no one will watch my videos.
Nope. I gained subscribers.
Since I had created so much content in the past, I was still getting a steady stream (ok, maybe small trickle) of subscribers and comments. Nothing awful happened. Now, I’m sure if I don’t create another video ever, it would have a negative effect, but in the short-term, it was fine.
Do something
I realize my first tip was to do something as well, but this is really important. When you are feeling stuck, or feeling uncreative, the key to getting past that is to do something. Action.
I knew in my head that once I started creating a podcast that I enjoyed it. So although I didn’t feel like it, and I wasn’t feeling creative, I still created episodes. I pushed through it.
You can’t find your creativity if you don’t do something. You need to put forth action in order to move ahead.
If you’re feeling stuck about what to post on social media, create a document and start writing. Open your graphics program and create something. Anything. But do something.
The longer you sit around thinking about how hard something is, the harder it’s going to be. Don’t aim for perfection, aim for starting.
Need some inspiration for your social media? Here are 50 creative social media post ideas.
I hope these tips help to spark your creativity. How do you become creative again when you feel like you’ve lost it?
