Whether you’re a small business blogger or content marketer you’ve been there before. It’s the land of mushy-brain. It’s the moment of frustration when creativity and innovation have left our grasp. For some it’s called writer’s block. For others it’s called burn-out. Each person and profession has it’s own vernacular, but the principles are the same for all.
As writers, or maybe better stated as teachers, we are all in a constant quest to discover more creativity and life-changing ideas. For some of us such original thought may come easily. For others it can be a struggle. Regardless, we all at some time or another reach that moment when we’ve ran out of ideas. We’re spent. The well has run dry.
Such stagnation can be seriously harmful to any blogger/content marketer. So the question is what can we do? How can we always be on our best ‘mental game’? How can we be an ever-flowing fountain of information and ideas—something we all know is the key to some of the most successful and effective bloggers in the world?
Considering I write 5 or 6 blog articles a week on top of working at my ‘day job’, like everyone there are times when my ideas get a little stagnant and my inspiration flat-lines. This being said, I’ve come up with 10 ideas here that may inspire you as a writer, marketer, or even as a business owner.
Stop Talking, Start Listening
When was the last time you sat down with one of your clients or readers and asked them what they wanted to talk about? What are their thoughts, likes, dislikes, etc regarding your product or industry? What’s important to them? Because each one of us in some degree or another suffers from the curse of knowledge, it can be easy to lose touch with our customer base and readers as we stop thinking as they do. This is why having a simple conversation with a customer can work wonders in the inspiration department and is something that needs to be a constant in the life of any ‘teacher’ (blogger).
Get a Workout
Although many of the ideas mentioned here are related to physical activity, 20-60 minutes of daily exercise can work wonders for the mind, body, and soul. Personally, I work out for 1 hour every night on my elliptical when I get home from work. Despite almost always being dead tired when I begin this late workout, within just a few minutes my body and mind recover and soon I’m completely refreshed. These workouts, along with my sauna routine (keep reading), are essentially the spark to all my blog ideas and give me the energy needed to produce content late into the evening when almost everyone else in my time zone is asleep. So whether it’s P90X, Yoga, or whatever else form of exercise you may prefer, make sure you’re doing at least something physically active each and every day.
Trade Shows
I love trade shows. Every industry has them and sadly most people don’t use them for more than a social gathering. Although such social benefits to these events are great (especially when mingling with other great and inspired teachers), I’ve always found their classes and other educational workshops to be a breeding ground for great ideas. In fact, some of the best decisions I’ve ever made with my business, as well as many of the articles I’ve ever written, have been a direct result of a thought received during a trade show.
Go For a Walk
Maybe the simplest activity in the world yet so many of us have forgotten its benefits over the years as the rigors and stresses of life set in. The next time you find yourself stuck in a rut and unable to start or finish an article, get up and go for a stroll. I can promise you the time away will make a huge difference upon return.
Take a Shower
Showers are awesome. They wake us up and they invigorate. This is also why I’ll often times take a shower before I sit down to write. Sound weird to you? Try it sometime, it works 
Sauna
Dang I love to sauna. I know most readers don’t have one but if you’ve ever used one before on a regular basis you understand very clearly the mental and health benefits to these incredible devices. Not only does a 30 minute sauna session burn 300-500 calories, it also elevates mental alertness and blood flow. I’ve had a sauna in my home for the last 7 months and it’s one of the best investments I’ve ever made. In fact, because the sauna has provided so many ideas that have had a powerful impact on my life during this time, I decided to produce a little video discussing its benefits. If you’ve never met me before, please give it a look:
Call a Friend
We’ve all got friends. And hopefully, we’ve all got someone that will hear us out and give us feedback when needed. Some bloggers and content marketers try to do everything alone. They solely depend on themselves for ideas and inspiration. They only look at the mirror when they’ve hit a rut. Do yourself a favor and don’t be that guy. Learn to lean on others when necessary. Don’t be afraid of feedback. Embrace it. Seek it. The advice and suggestions of others can make a profound difference on our ability to constantly create fresh, remarkable content.
Take Advantage of Drive Time
Because I’m often times in my car 3-6 hours a day, what I do with this time can make or break my creative abilities. Sometimes, it can be tempting to just sit back and listen to Sports Talk Radio for a few hours, but the simple fact is such an activity will not promote any mental/spiritual enlightenment on my part whatsoever. This is why I spend over 95% of my drive time listening to some type of self improvement/inspiring book, lecture, etc. Although my example may be a little extreme for some who don’t drive nearly as much, we can all turn our vehicles into a ‘library on wheels’.
Keep a Journal
Most people never keep a record of their life and thoughts. Frankly, this is quite sad considering what one can learn when they look back on old thoughts, paradigms, and experiences and write about new ones. Journals are also great for brainstorming and can often times unleash one’s creative juices when stuck in a rut.
Learn From the Great Ones
In every field, there are people, writers, and organizations that stand above the rest. Look at Steve Jobs. Consider Seth Godin. Their success is no accident, and their behaviors and actions are often the perfect example of ‘The Right Way’. Sometimes, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel, we just need to watch it’s beauty and follow its example.
Questions? Comments? As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts and your places of inspiration.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Finding the “right” Independent Sales or “Business” opportunity is tricky and pretty frustrating because there is so much on the web that can be misleading. It’s unfortunate but true!
You’ve already decided that you want to go into business for yourself or look into an independent sales opportunity (where you basically are “your own boss”). You’ve thought about it, gone over everything you could think of in your own mind and you’re ready to “pull the trigger”.
NOW WHAT!?
Starting a business is not going to be easy but you already knew that. You need a little help and we can help you.
If you’re seeking a challenging [and rewarding] “career” opportunity, we might have the perfect opportunity for you! We’re always looking for “great” people – as demand has skyrocketed for the (two) financial products we offer. This demand has made our company an emerging leader in the merchant/business finance industry and has created an opportunity for you as an independent sales agent to earn over $250,000 a year. And if you’ve got what it takes to handle a dynamic, ever-changing work environment, we invite you to explore all that’s available with our “fast-growing” company.
To quality for serious consideration, you’ll need to be a self-starter, have a pleasant personality, must possess excellent oral and written communication skills, and be willing to learn a variety of skills quickly. If this sounds like something you can handle, we’d love to hear from you! Our current team has a never-ending need for responsible, hard working individuals with a passion to be part of our exciting business model – and who truly wants to help small to medium-sized entrepreneurs “win”, as they strive to develop their business in an ever-changing “sea of competition”.
We offer 2 financial products that are in very high demand and as an Independent Sales Agent you will be responsible for making merchants aware of our services either locally or nationally. Sales experience is helpful but not required, as we will provide all of the training and sales tools you will need in order to be successful.
This is a commission-only sales opportunity with income potential beyond your wildest dreams! For Independent Sales Agents, this is a real High Six Figure sales opportunity. We helped many other individuals like you create successful careers in this multibillion dollar industry and we would like to help you achieve success as one of our Independent Agents. For motivated Independent Agents/Marketing Reps, this is the opportunity you’ve probably been waiting for.
If this sounds like you then we would like to hear back from you.
Apply HERE TODAY
I definitely agree with the idea of going for a walk – it clears your head and allows some important time to re-focus on an idea or problem that has been troubling you.
Taking time to take time out is key to maintaining maximum productivity. Oh, and it can be fun, too.
Gourmet Hampers´s last [type] ..Gourmet Hampers Fruit Baskets