Do you work in a creative industry and tend to feel pressure to be innovative? Are you an on-camera talent or voice actor having trouble booking work because you are in a creative slump? Well, I have good news for you. We have all been there, so here are some exciting and diverse tactics to get out of your voiceover creative slump.
To have the ability and luxury of working in a creative field is something many people dream of. This may be because they need help finding a creative job that provides financial stability. I never had the luxury of working in a creative industry for the first half of my life, although I tried to be innovative in my administrative jobs. My supervisors knew I had a creative knack and tried their best to accommodate me, but most of my previous jobs have been pushing paper.
Inspiring Change in Your Voiceover Creative Slump
If your job requires creative thinking, consider yourself lucky and grateful. To be creative is a skill that many need to possess. Most of us live a very routine life, generally doing the same tasks daily, and while some are ok with that, some are not. Although many like routine, others prefer to use their five senses to see, hear, smell, taste, or touch new and exciting things. Isn’t that what life is all about?
Trying New Creative Tactics
Although working in a creative industry allows you to enjoy your work by thinking outside the box, sometimes, we can find ourselves in a rut. We may have used our best ideas and cannot think of more. Authors often call this writer’s block. Experiencing a creative block is normal, and there are tactics to use to break this cycle. They can recharge your creative juices and encourage overall happiness and fulfillment in your career.
Get Out of Your Regular Routine
This is the simplest way to get out of a creative slump. It could be as simple as changing the order in which you do your daily routine. Once you’ve changed your brain, you may experience a new and creative thought or idea.
Stop Grinding Away in a Voiceover Creative Slump
You won’t have the luxury of completely walking away from your current position; that isn’t what we mean here. Sometimes you need to step away from a situation temporality, even for just a few minutes, to see things differently. You could turn off your computer for an hour, go for lunch, take a walk, or chat with a co-worker. This could be all you need for your creativity to return.
Brainstorm & Collaborate
Trying various forms of brainstorming is an excellent way to get out of a creative slump. Different methods include mind mapping, star bursting, rapid ideation, role-storming, or word association. There are many ways to release new brainstorming techniques, which could lead to creative thinking. My favorite method of brainstorming is to do so with other peers, as they could pull out various ideas and thoughts that could lead your team down a beautiful road of creative thinking.
Rest and Rejuvenate
Similar to point two, get some rest. Rest will allow the brain to be in default mode. In this restful state, your brain becomes more flexible and novel. Experts think this is then when the creative lightbulb moments occur. It helps to switch on your divergent thinking. Meditation is also an excellent way to open the brain to think more creatively. Connecting to nature is a beautiful way to truly rest, which helps the brain come to a sense of calmness, allowing for more innovative thinking.
Travel or Review Past Trips
Travel is a beautiful way to get out of a creative slump. The world is diverse and full of various people, ages, cultures, and attitudes. Many ideas will occur once you leave your town, city, country, or continent. For example, many of us enjoy eating chicken. How many ways can we prepare chicken, three or four if we like to cook? If you were to vacation to another country, you would no doubt learn another 3-4 ways to prepare the same chicken. I have traveled to 29 countries to date, and during my younger days, I spent quite a bit traveling throughout Europe and the Caribbean.
I saw many exciting cultures, tasted many interesting foods, learned amazing dances, and met the most incredible people. I didn’t realize it then, but I was able to tap into so many resources that would help me later in my voiceover career. I picked up on different accents, which enabled me to audition. I can connect with my clients regarding their country and culture when interacting with them. I can think of creative ways to ad-lib in my auditions because I understand the target market of their country. I also know their culture’s business etiquette because I’ve interacted with their residents. These skills are invaluable, and I didn’t realize it then. I can’t speak enough about how important those years of travel were to my voiceover business.
Get Some Fresh Air & Exercise
Exercising is a wonderful way to boost creativity. Scientists believe that exercising can help boost endorphins which increase blood flow and can help to produce a happiness boost which helps fuel original or abstract thoughts. When I audition 20-30x a day, I repeat my methods, and my energy starts to fade. When this occurs, I turn off my computer, put on my shoes, and head for a 20-30 min walk. Upon arriving home, I feel awake and happier, with a sense of accomplishment. I jump back in my booth feeling confident, which always leads to a better, more realistic performance.
Do Something Inspirational to Rise Above a Voiceover Creative Slump
This one may seem obvious but try your hand at a creative activity. As a voice actor, I take coaching sessions with a class to hear other voice actors’ skills. You could take up painting, dancing, photography, cooking, singing, creative writing, gardening, or interior design; the list is endless. There are so many diverse activities one can do that will no doubt spark some creative synapsis in the brain.
It’s completely normal to fall into a creative slump at times, especially if we regularly work in a field that requires new and exciting ideas. If you fall into one of those modes, refer to the list above to help break the cycle and get you back to your unique, authentic creative self!