If you’re like me, you’ve experienced how creativity ebbs and flows. When you’re feeling burnt out, creatively blocked, or just simply tired, it can be hard to find the inspiration to bring your ideas to life — or even remember you had ideas in the first place. Because creativity is a practice, it is important to allow yourself the time and space to recharge and reconnect with that aspect of yourself. Below are 99 simple ways that I’ve found to reset and bring creativity back into my life. Happy making! ✨

Do you have go-to methods for unblocking your creative vision? Share with us in the comments!

If you’re looking for more renewing practices, check out our list of 99 positive morning affirmations to inspire your morning routine.

Get inspired

“People watch. Notice what people are wearing, their emotions, their energy.”

  1. Make a list of things that inspire you, whether it’s a certain song or a styled tabletop. Incorporate those things into your life. 
  2. Hang inspiring pictures up near your desk. 
  3. Or bring a new practice into your life that inspires you. 
  4. For example, practicing gratitude by starting a gratitude journal. 
  5. Or starting your own journaling practice. Let your thoughts and ideas flow as you write down whatever comes to mind. 
  6. Go to the theater and be immersed in the performing arts. 
  7. Visit an art gallery and take in the colors and the quiet. 
  8. Or get outside and sit by a local sculpture or in a public garden.
  9. Does learning make you feel recharged? Go to (or stream) an academic discussion or lecture. 
  10. Or listen to a podcast or audiobook for learning on the go. 
  11. Take a trip to the museum and walk around. 
  12. Read things that inspire you, like interesting magazine articles, essays, or poems.
  13. Or read a book. 
  14. And for an extra challenge, read a novel through the lens of its creator. What choices did the author make that you like? How would you do it differently or the same?
  15. People watch. Notice what people are wearing, their emotions, their energy. 
  16. Go to a thrift shop or antique store. 
  17. Have an aimless brainstorming session with yourself to tap into your thoughts.
  18. Create a mind map. 
  19. Or just make a giant list of ideas for a project or for things you want to create. 
  20. Keep a notebook nearby at all times so you can write down ideas as they come. 
  21. Put sticky notes around your workspace of ideas as you get them.
  22. Use voice memos. Leave yourself little audio notes that you can go back to later. 
  23. Romanticize your life. Notice the details and simple moments, and let them inspire you. 

Play around

“Do an activity you loved as a kid.”

  1. Play is a great way to recharge and heal, consider what activities you feel playful while doing. 
  2. Maybe it’s as simple as doing a puzzle. 
  3. Or playing a board game you love. 
  4. Take time to look at the clouds. What shapes do you see? Use your imagination. 
  5. Spend time daydreaming. Let your mind wander. Not sure how? Here’s our guide for re-learning how to daydream. 
  6. Spend time with kids and play pretend with them. Allow yourself to be immersed in their imaginative world. 
  7. No kids? No problem! Create your own imaginative world. Host a murder mystery party and play pretend with your adult friends. 
  8. Or play a video game that immerses you in a world or lets you create your own. 
  9. Play an instrument. Or try learning a new one. 
  10. Do an activity you loved as a kid. Anything you remember?
  11. Maybe it’s jumping rope.
  12. Or drawing with sidewalk chalk. 
  13. Or finger painting. 
  14. Swing on the swings at the playground.
  15. Create a box of things for your inner child. It could include stickers, play dough, a coloring book, etc. Pull it out when you need a creative boost. 

Make something

“Try writing by hand instead of typing.”

  1. Cook a favorite recipe — or try a new one! Cooking can inspire innovation and experimentation, which in turn encourages creativity. 
  2. Not much of a cooking person? Bake something instead!
  3. Or take a cooking class. Learn something new and get recipes to cook when you need a creative boost. 
  4. Making crafts is a great form of creative self-care. 
  5. Change things up and try a new medium. Are you usually a writer? Try painting. 
  6. Or try writing by hand instead of typing. Try hand drawing instead of digital design. Go analog. 
  7. Make something out of clay. Ceramics is a medium in which you have to focus on the feel of it much more than the way it looks. 
  8. Dive into fiber arts with knitting. It’s cozy and gets you using your hands instead of your brain. 
  9. Or try crocheting! 
  10. Sew or mend your clothes. Using your hands is all about getting out of your head and physically doing something. 
  11. Make a collage. This could be a mood board for a project you’re working on, a vision board for your goals, or just a fun piece of art. 
  12. Feeling inspired by cutting and pasting? Try scrapbooking with bits and bobs you’ve saved or some of your favorite photos. 
  13. Doodling can inspire and recharge creativity too. It has many benefits, including to help you come up with ideas and to further develop ideas you already have.
  14. Or try coloring. Use a coloring book, or just let your inner child shine and simply use crayons and paper. 

Be active

“Get your hands dirty — repot houseplants or work in a garden.”

  1. Exercise has positive effects on creativity. Find an inspiring way to move your body. 
  2. Maybe that’s by going on a run.
  3. Or going swimming. 
  4. Or join a sports team or league. (Pickleball, anyone?) Being competitive can boost creativity, among many other benefits. 
  5. Take a dance class. Move your body and learn something new all at once!
  6. Or dance at home — dance around your living room, or have a dance party with your roommate(s), partner, or even your pets. 
  7. Go on — or create your own — retreat. 
  8. Go camping. ⛺️
  9. Or go on a hike. 
  10. Even just taking a walk around your neighborhood is a great way to recharge.
  11. Or better yet, go on an “awe walk” and mindfully take in your surroundings while you’re out. 
  12. Get your hands dirty — repot houseplants or work in a garden. 
  13. Traveling recreationally has been shown to increase creativity and increase cognitive flexibility. Consider taking a vacation to creatively recharge. 
  14. Living abroad also has positive effects on creativity. Dream big!

Rest and relax

“Do nothing. Sometimes feeling ‘bored’ is the best way to let the creativity flow back in.”

  1. Do nothing. Sometimes feeling “bored” is the best way to let the creativity flow back in. 
  2. Give yourself permission to truly unplug by taking time off work or away from responsibilities, if you can. 
  3. For some of us, it’s hard to fully do nothing. So if you need an excuse to sit and do nothing, cuddle with your pet. Just sit with them and enjoy the quiet moment. 
  4. Or watch a movie, but do nothing while you watch it. Let yourself zone out and relax. 
  5. Listen to music. Don’t do anything else while you do it. Just listen. 
  6. Mediation is a great way to create a practice out of doing nothing for a period of time. Not sure how to begin? Try a meditation app. 
  7. Simply sitting outside and noticing the sights, sounds, and sensations around you is a great way to recharge and let your brain rest. 
  8. Have access to a sauna? Sweating it out can help release you from your typical patterns of thought and bring in the new.
  9. Go to bed consistently and have a morning and night routine. Sleep helps us recharge — and that includes recharging our creativity. 
  10. Or take a nap!
  11. Practice yoga. Here’s a 40-minute yoga practice specifically to enhance creativity. 

Try something social

“Call someone on the phone.”

  1. Spend time with creative people. Ask them about their projects and what’s inspiring them right now. Let it inspire you. 
  2. Start a weekly (or monthly) meetup where you get together with fellow creative folks and creatively recharge together. 
  3. Talk about your project to someone who will ask questions and really listen. Maybe it’ll spark more ideas and recharge your love for it. 
  4. Host a craft night. See craft ideas above! (#3)
  5. Call someone on the phone. Speaking is a creative act!
  6. Join a group with fellow creatives. Maybe it’s a writers’ group or an art class. 
  7. Or start a group chat with some of your creative friends. Encourage each other when you need the boost. 
  8. Talk to strangers (safely, of course). Ask them about their lives and their stories and let it inspire you. Maybe it’s your barista or a person you see regularly at the park. 
  9. Go on a date. Whether it’s with your significant other or a stranger — or anyone in between — dating is a great way to have fun and learn more about ourselves. Plus, it can make for some creatively inspiring stories!

Miscellaneous ideas

“Allow yourself to be bad at something.”

  1. Come up with a creative routine or ritual. Maybe light a candle or wear a certain sweater every time you work on a project. 
  2. Reorganize your workspace. 
  3. And decorate (or redecorate) your home. Use it as a canvas to be creative. 
  4. Clean. Sometimes all it takes to creatively recharge is to have a clean space to work in. 
  5. Use the other side of your brain. If you usually work with words, do a puzzle like Sudoku. If you’re usually doing something more science-driven, try improv. Change things up!
  6. Disrupt your routine. Maybe by traveling, or perhaps something as simple as going to a coffee shop instead of writing from home. 
  7. Create a “media diet” that cultivates creativity. 
  8. Try putting away your phone for a set amount of time. Being present opens us up to our thoughts.
  9. Take a risk and try something new. Let the excitement of that newness drive your creativity. 
  10. Be consistent and show up anyway (even if you’re not particularly feeling it). Sometimes all it takes to recharge your creativity is consistently practicing it. 
  11. Allow yourself to be bad at something. Take a class, learn a new instrument, try writing in a new genre. 
  12. Seek out therapy. Sometimes it’s helpful to talk to your therapist and set a creative goal there. 
  13. Show yourself compassion. Sometimes finding our creativity again just takes time and self-love. It’s always there, flowing within us, we just have to allow ourselves to cultivate it.

Brianna Schubert is a writer and editor living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. When she’s not writing about books, lifestyle, and culture, you can find her cooking up a new recipe, reading and recommending books, or finding hidden gems at vintage and thrift stores. Say hi on Instagram!