Not Another Blog Post: 4 Tricks to Stay Inspired All Year Long

“All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence you know.” 

OK, Ernest Hemingway, challenge accepted. 

Writing every single day sucks is incredibly challenging. 

That’s the truest sentence I know right now. Do I love content creation? Yes. Is it one of my deepest passions and what I believe to be my innate talent? Absolutely. But is it extremely difficult to come up with new ideas and write content that moves others on a daily basis? You bet. 

Content creators, company leaders, marketing professionals — anyone writing for a business understands the struggle. No matter how much you love your company or clients, it’s tough to stay motivated year-round. 

Still, we must carry on. We must leap out of our brain blocks and knock down walls from the outside. Shake off your end-of-the-year content creation woes and give these tricks a try: 

Stage a walkout — on yourself 

From piano to creative writing teachers, each one had the same advice — walk away. Get up and take a break when you’re feeling stuck or are repeating the same mistakes. The same trick applies when you’re feeling at a loss for inspiration. 

Walkout on yourself and keep a positive mindset when you do so. Imagine your content creation mind is a muscle. If you were exercising for weeks or even months, every single day, and your muscles were tired, you would give them a break. 

Go for a guilt-free break. Head to your favorite coffee shop and stay while enjoying your treats. Take a walk outside for half an hour with friends or enjoy the solitude. Whatever it is that rejuvenates you must be done guilt-free and on your own terms. 

Write about something you’re passionate about

A friend of mine recently rediscovered her joy for writing. The trick? She wasn’t writing for work. Taking the “I have to” out of writing and molding it back into “I want to” is a major game-changer.

It doesn’t take much. You don’t need to take hours out of your workday to write about something you love. It can be as simple as an Instagram post or just a 15-minute free writing session. Use this time to awaken your content creation soul. 

At the end of this task, take a moment to create a brief list: 

• Why do you love to write? 
• What about this writing session made you feel inspired? 
• What about this writing session felt like fun and not work? 
• What can you take from this writing session and apply to your daily work routine? 

Collaborate with people who challenge you

Many creative thinkers feed off of others. Still, we sit in our little offices, in front of our computer screens, banging our heads off of desks trying to pump out more content. 

Nothing makes me feel as inspired as chatting with my team. From brainstorming ideas together to simply discussing the future of the business — I feel empowered when I walk away. Why? Hint: it’s not because they agree with everything I say. 

It’s because I have a work family that’s there to push me to my creative limits. They can help me evolve a single sentence idea into an entire blog series. Or they can take my idea for an entire blog series and show me why the flip-side is actually more intriguing. 

Surround yourself with people who aren’t afraid to give you constructive feedback. This can be co-workers or friends who invigorate your content creation mind. Use your differences in opinions and life experiences to find inspiration for new content. 

Find inspiration out in the real world

I have a busy, on-the-go life. Who the heck doesn’t? As a remote employee, I often feel like I’m not doing my job when I’m out and about. The reality is, this is when I gain some of my best inspiration. Still, I have to trick my mind into believing, as a writer, I can be productive outside of my office. 

Look around you. No matter your business, there’s content creation inspiration in the world around you. Maybe it’s in the too-much-information story the grocery clerk tells you. It could be in your partner’s story about how frustrating work is right now. Or maybe it’s in your mom’s 20-minute one-way discussion about trying to get her house in tip-top shape before company comes this weekend. 

Whatever strikes you in the moment, write it down. Even if it doesn’t make sense for an idea right now, it’s these little life experiences that can inspire you throughout the year.