This week, Okta had an important delivery that we had been working intensively on for the past month. For it, we planned to structure a presentation with a captivating narrative that would truly grab the attention of our client, adding even more value to the delivery (the famous storytelling).
However, as we started developing this presentation, we encountered it: the feared, the scary, the almost unnameable: creative block. During the time we had to create this presentation, we were stuck, unable to make progress. We wondered if the pressure or the pursuit of something exceptional could be influencing this "not finding" of answers. As the deadline approached, anxiety began to increase (understandably so), but then we remembered 3 principles that we follow in these moments:
1. Stay calm
It's important to understand that things don't always go as planned, especially when it comes to creative work. Creativity is a skill based on the ability to establish innovative connections between elements. And this skill doesn't flourish much when we are stressed and tired. Therefore, we chose to interrupt the excessive effort and take a break to breathe and relax.
2. Trust yourself
If you have the necessary knowledge and the information that reveals the nature of the problem, the solution will come. By combining your knowledge and valuable information about the project, success is only a matter of time. Of course, it's crucial to respect the established deadlines because they represent the expectations we are creating for others. So, keep an eye on that commitment.
3. Rest actively
Last but not least, engage in active rest.
You may have heard that there are various types of fatigue and that there is a way to rest for each of them. We understand creative block as a sign of mental fatigue, so the "remedy" for it is engaging in activities that provide pleasure and do not require a great deal of reasoning, freeing the mind from momentary pressure. For example: you can cook, meet loved ones, exercise, walk, clean the house, and so on.
By following these steps, we went through another creative block - with a little fear and freak-out to keep the excitement 😜 - but knowing that we were on the path to overcome it and achieve our goal. And want a spoiler? We did it, we loved the result of our delivery, and the client loved the project!