From Light Therapy to Red Wine: 7½ Creative Survival Strategies

There are days when the creative juices just won't flow - your muse is on holiday, your mood is low and the blank page mocks you. I know this feeling all too well. Sometimes I find ways to shake it off (and sometimes not) - here are seven and a half tips for days when inspiration refuses to show up.

It’s a dreary afternoon in early February. A single brave sunbeam struggles through the thick clouds but doesn’t quite make it to our office. I’m sleep-deprived, stuck in a motivational slump, trapped in an inspiration void, or a classic mid-afternoon coma—call it what you will. For once, my to-do list contains nothing urgent. And for a seasoned procrastinator like me, that's the worst thing of all. Not even the tiniest bit of deadline pressure to spark some creativity.

This has been a recurring theme in my life, ever since I earned my first paycheck for writing at the age of 18. How do you find inspiration? Over the years I’ve collected a treasure trove of advice - some of which, if I’m lucky, occasionally works. And today it hits me: why not compile them all and share them?

So here are my seven (and a half) tips for when your muse decides to ghost you.

1. Tricking the brain

In winter, we don’t get enough light or fresh air. We stay holed up in our dimly lit offices, slowly suffocating on stale air until we’re half asleep. So let’s start with the basics: open a window, let in some fresh air and take a few steps outside.

It’s not just for the feel of it —light actually boosts serotonin levels and improves mood. Sometimes it helps to just switch all the lights on. Or, you could go all out and buy a light therapy lamp. Sit in front of it for 20 minutes and let it flood your pale face with artificial sunlight, tricking your brain by saying: «Look! It's sunlight! I swear!»

2. New Menu, Please!

Someone once told me, «If you only ever eat pizza, you’ll only ever produce… digested pizza.» In other words: if you always consume the same things, you’ll always create the same things. So here’s my second tip: broaden your horizons.

Listen to an unfamiliar album, watch a random movie that wasn’t on your list (preferably at the cinema—support them before they disappear!), or order that weird dish on the menu you’ve been side-eyeing for weeks.

At worst, it'll confirm that your tastes are already set and everything else just doesn’t compare. But even that realization can be valuable. (My last experiment was a 500-page mystery novel that left me endlessly frustrated. But I also discovered yakisoba noodles. Win-win?)

3.  Break your routine

Routine is comfy until you accidentally get stuck in it. Then, breaking out feels essential. Try taking a different route home, explore trendy rituals that everyone’s talking about—one might actually resonate.

Experiment with journaling or spend a few quiet moments in the morning sipping coffee and gazing out the window.

Whatever disrupts your autopilot mode, even for a few minutes, stimulates your brain with fresh input. New stimuli mean new thoughts. Even if most of them aren’t brilliant, sometimes a semi-decent thought can set bigger ideas rolling.

4. Plan an Artist Day

This tip comes from a dramaturgy teacher but works for everyone. Dedicate time – like a Sunday afternoon once a month – for inspiration.

Visit a special spot in your city (have you been to Fluntern Cemetery?), attend an exhibit, or see a play. The key: go alone. No distractions, no socializing – just you and your thoughts.

The beauty of it? You don’t need a specific goal. Everything you see and absorb will marinate in your mind and emerge later in surprising ways.

5. Capture the moments

That funny exchange between teenagers at the bus stop? Write it down. The stunning color mix of autumn leaves in a rain puddle? Snap a photo. None of it has to be good in the moment – but fleeting fragments often grow into ideas later.

No fancy tools are needed: a notebook or smartphone will do. If you prefer an app, give Evernote a try.

6. Try the 5-Minute Exercise

A classic for writers (but great for concepts, too): set a timer for five minutes, grab a pen and paper, and just let your thoughts flow. No overthinking, no stopping. It doesn’t need to be good – or even legible.

The goal is to silence your inner critic and capture raw ideas. Sometimes it’s just a mess. But often, you’ll find little nuggets of inspiration – or at least clear your head. Not into writing? Try 5-minute mind maps or quick sketches.

7. Talk it out

Let’s end with a timeless basic: talk about your project, task, or problem. Ideally with someone else – but in a pinch, talking to yourself (or recording voice notes) works too.

Talking helps organize your thoughts, and often, you’ll discover what’s working and what’s not – a kind of “mirror effect.”

Bonus tip: Talk to someone uninvolved. Outsiders often have the freshest perspectives and sharpest insights.

Bonus: Find your poison

My first serious bout of writer’s block hit during my first major deadline. Half-jokingly, my teacher suggested red wine – it had inspired many great writers before me, after all. A few nights later, I gave in: red wine in hand, blinking cursor on an empty page.

I fell asleep before finishing a single paragraph.

The point is: inspiration is fickle. It shows up unannounced and vanishes when you need it most. There’s no magic recipe. If red wine works for you, cheers! If not, keep experimenting.

One thing I’ve learned about my elusive muse: she doesn’t like clinginess. The more desperately you chase her, the harder she is to find. So close the laptop, step outside, and distract yourself. Pretend you don’t care. And maybe, just maybe, she’ll come back on her own.