Six Ways to Unlock Creative Energy

Transcending Writer’s Block

It’s late, you’re tired, and you’d rather nap than pound away at the keyboard. Your creative juices aren’t flowing, but your deadline is Friday, and if you don’t get your manuscript to your editor, there will be hell to pay, or at least, there will be a potential breach of contract.

You need a solution—and you need it fast.

Before you even let the words “Writer’s Block” enter your consciousness, keep the following in mind: Writer’s Block is a belief. If you don’t accept the belief, you can’t become infected with the “disease.”

But I digress. Here is a bit of insight most writers and executives are not necessarily privy to: your degree of flow is often correlated to your body’s physiology. It’s when you’re energized and your hands can’t keep up with your racing mind that you often experience your best work. So how do you trigger that state?

There are a number of simple things you can do to manage your energy level when you write:

1. Posture. When we’re sitting in the same position for a long period of time (as writers or anyone sitting at their desks often do), we have a tendency to drop our shoulders, collapsing our diaphragms and decreasing the oxygen to our lungs. Hence, less energy. When you notice yourself hunched over your keyboard, straighten your back by imagining a string coming out the crown of your head, pulling you up toward the sky.

2. Breathing. Try this: take a deep breath and watch what happens to your shoulders. Most likely they’ll rise as you inhale. That’s because most of us have forgotten how to breathe properly. Ever watch a baby breathe? Their shoulders don’t move—their bellies expand and contract. This is the optimal way of breathing because it more completely fills your lungs with oxygen.

To breathe diaphragmatically, place a hand on your stomach (over your belly button) and imagine a balloon inside your stomach. Now, take a deep, steady breath, watching the balloon inflate, causing your stomach to expand. After holding your breath for a moment, slowly and steadily exhale, deflating the balloon within your belly. Repeat this three to five times and notice how you feel.

3. Hydration. Good hydration is vital to one’s energy level, and what’s the beverage of champions for writers and other workaholics? Coffee, of course. The challenge with coffee is it tends to dehydrate the body. Although we often associate caffeine with being an agent of energy, after the initial “boost” wears off, your energy levels are actually depleted. The best way to hydrate is to drink lots of water. Drinking water during your work sessions is more beneficial. (Please note: this doesn’t mean you need to stop drinking coffee—just be aware of its long-term effects if you want to stay in a creative flow state.)

4. Movement. Another key to increasing your energy is to break out of your stationary writing position. The more frequently you get up, stretch and move around, the better your blood flow and the more energy you’ll have. On his website, New York Times Best-Selling Author Dan Brown says that he keeps an antique hour glass on his desk and takes quick breaks every hour to do pushups, sit-ups, and some quick stretches.

5. Diet. Certain meals and snacks are energy-supplying, while others are coma-inducing. Have you ever felt like running a few miles after a steak dinner? Manage your food intake carefully and watch your blood sugar level, especially if you’re working intensely in the morning. Sports performance specialists generally suggest eating fruit around 11 am when most people’s glucose levels tend to drop. Foods like raw nuts, granola, fruits, and vegetables are energy enhancing and since they digest quickly you generally don’t feel a negative after effect. Also, eating smaller, more frequent meals will help maintain a high energy level and feed your creativity.

6. Music. Create a personal soundtrack for working inspiration. Have you ever noticed that certain songs immediately trigger inspiration or enthusiasm? Keep energy-producing songs on your computer or digital media player. Listen to these songs in a continual loop or use them for quick burst of inspiration during stretch breaks.

These guidelines will help you manage your energy level while you write and work. And by managing your physiology, you’ll be amazed at how your writing experience is transformed.

Writer’s block? Never heard of it…