I wanted to share this article I found while browsing online. It’s from the 99% blog, written by Mark McGuinness. It’s funny because it’s one of those “I know, I know” things. But we never put it into practice. A lot of times we find ourselves with a creative block and our initial reaction is to focus even more energy and force the creativity to come, which leads to frustration and further block. Meanwhile a quick break can make all the difference, it will clear your mind and allow those ideas that are struggling to get through actually reach us.

This is an excellent article, below is an excerpt:

If you depend on your creativity for your living, then your most valuable piece of equipment is not your computer, smartphone, camera, or any other hi-tech gadget. “In a modern company 70 to 80 percent of what people do is now done by way of their intellects. The critical means of production is small, gray, and weighs around 1.3 kilograms. It is the human brain.”*So what are you doing to maintain this precious resource? You probably give it plenty of stimulation – books, movies, music, nights out, interesting conversations with offbeat people.

But I’m not talking about stimulation, quite the reverse. I’m talking about qualities such as focus, calmness, clarity, and insight. They may not sound so sexy, but they are at least as important to your creative process as the glamour and stimulation side of things. And amid the bustle of daily life and the chatter of social media, they are the qualities most easily lost.

What works for me is daily meditation. Every morning, before I start work, I spend 20 minutes sitting on a mat, focusing on the sensation of breathing, doing my best to be present and aware, and trying not to get tangled up in my thoughts. It makes all the difference for the rest of the day. And I’m convinced it makes me a better writer.
[read full article...]

Mark McGuinness is currently helping readers of the Lateral Action blog to break through their creative blocks. For bite-sized inspiration follow Mark on Twitter.