On overcoming creative blocks

I wrote my last two artist statements in the swimming pool. 

Stroke after stroke, words that refused to come to me before seemed to just appear in my head and form into sentences and then paragraphs and all I had to do is hold onto them long enough to write them down once I was done with my exercise and back in the changing room.

When I’m driving, I am able to come up with innovative marketing ideas for my photography business. I stopped listening to music when I’m alone in the car, and let my brain whirr away in the background, sorting through everything I know and arriving at the best solution as I my conscious mind is busy navigating roads and traffic.

Clearly, the trick - for me at least - to overcoming a creative block is to take a break, get away from the computer (where, truth be told, I do spend most of my time), and let the silence do its thing. 

But getting away from my desk isn’t always enough. Other ways I’ve found to unblock myself are:

Looking at other people's work.

There’s …