A kid asked me once: “Can you ever run out of creativity?” When you work in the creative field, this is something that many people ask. They would ask me questions such as: “How do you know what to write about every week?” or “Do you ever run out of ideas?” and the best question is “How do you seek inspiration?” These are all pertinent questions that I have wondered about before I joined the creative field.
While I do not believe that a person can ever run out of creative ideas, I do strongly believe in mental blocks, or “writers’ block” as some refer to it.
The period can last from a day to several months which can be a huge problem if you are running a creative business. One of my team members is currently going through one of these phases, a situation that is giving her a panic attack because she thinks she may never be as creative as she once was.
If you find yourself in a mental block, or prone to falling into one, then rest assured that there are ways that can help you get out of it. I know, I have tried.
So what can be done if you do find yourself in this uncomfortable situation?
Admit that it is there
A mental block is a problem, and if you are prone to facing it, then it is best to acknowledge it, so that when you do face one, you will not stress about it. And so the next step is important, which is to remain calm and realise that it is a temporary phase that will pass.
Spice up your schedule
With mental blocks, what you need to do is to break your cycle. Routine is good sometimes, but it does not help much with mental blocks. When I am facing a mental block, I go out and do something that I would not usually be doing. For instance, I will take up a new sport, or activity, or drive up to an area I have not explored, and would walk around. I would also read about subjects outside my field. Lately, I have been reading a lot about astronomy, Mars in particular, as well as national parks in the US. These topics are not related to my field, but I find that by doing that, I trigger my creativity. I am also inspired most when I completely switch off from my routine and engage in something unrelated to my field.
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Read more:
Step out of your comfort zone: it's the best thing for your business
Guide to surviving the perfect storm at work
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Draw it or write it
When she’s faced with a mental block, my friend goes to her whiteboard and draws her obstacle. She says that she always finds the solution once she sees her problem is in front of her. Another great way to get over a problem is to write it down. Jot down what is bothering you, and then perhaps you will see that it is not a big deal, or you will notice a pattern of some sort, or be inspired to find a solution. Writing personally works best for me. It almost always helps solve my problem, and allows me to realise that it is not that big of a deal as I had imagined it to be.
Seek advice
Do not suffer in silence. Often in business, time is money, and you cannot just sit there waiting for inspiration to kick in. If you have a mentor then call them up and talk about it. If you don’t have one but have fellow entrepreneurs then seek their advice. Even if you do not have any entrepreneur friends then that should not stop you. Many of the problems we face are universal, and a quick search on Google will show you that you are not the only one facing that situation, and many have gone through the same or quite similar scenarios. Also, you will find advice in blogs, articles, and books on how to overcome your obstacle/s and avoid them in the future.
Give it a bit of time before taking action
Finally, as precious as time is, especially in business, do not rush into anything or take any drastic decision before you have given it some time to sink in. A friend of mine advices me to sleep on a matter before taking a huge decision. Most of the time I wake up feeling much better and know what to do. Sometimes also, a few hours do the trick. During this time, go for a walk, take some deep breath, and then you will know exactly what to do.
Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati writer who manages her branding and marketing consultancy in Abu Dhabi
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Khalid%20Fahad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Shaima%20Al%20Tayeb%2C%20Wafa%20Muhamad%2C%20Hamss%20Bandar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More on Quran memorisation:
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
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Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
Profile Idealz
Company: Idealz
Founded: January 2018
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Size: (employees): 22
Investors: Co-founders and Venture Partners (9 per cent)
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
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Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
Rafael Nadal's record at the MWTC
2009 Finalist
2010 Champion
Jan 2011 Champion
Dec 2011 Semi-finalist
Dec 2012 Did not play
Dec 2013 Semi-finalist
2015 Semi-finalist
Jan 2016 Champion
Dec 2016 Champion
2017 Did not play
Teams
Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan Shanwari, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (captain), Corey Anderson, Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson, Colin de Grandhomme, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Seth Rance, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor.
Tottenham's 10 biggest transfers (according to transfermarkt.com):
1). Moussa Sissokho - Newcastle United - £30 million (Dh143m): Flop
2). Roberto Soldado - Valencia - £25m: Flop
3). Erik Lamela - Roma - £25m: Jury still out
4). Son Heung-min - Bayer Leverkusen - £25m: Success
5). Darren Bent - Charlton Athletic - £21m: Flop
6). Vincent Janssen - AZ Alkmaar - £18m: Flop
7). David Bentley - Blackburn Rovers - £18m: Flop
8). Luka Modric - Dynamo Zagreb - £17m: Success
9). Paulinho - Corinthians - £16m: Flop
10). Mousa Dembele - Fulham - £16m: Success
Essentials
The flights
Etihad (etihad.ae) and flydubai (flydubai.com) fly direct to Baku three times a week from Dh1,250 return, including taxes.
The stay
A seven-night “Fundamental Detox” programme at the Chenot Palace (chenotpalace.com/en) costs from €3,000 (Dh13,197) per person, including taxes, accommodation, 3 medical consultations, 2 nutritional consultations, a detox diet, a body composition analysis, a bio-energetic check-up, four Chenot bio-energetic treatments, six Chenot energetic massages, six hydro-aromatherapy treatments, six phyto-mud treatments, six hydro-jet treatments and access to the gym, indoor pool, sauna and steam room. Additional tests and treatments cost extra.
MATCH INFO
West Ham United 2 (Antonio 73', Ogbonna 90 5')
Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 36', Moura 42', Kane 49')
PFA Premier League team of 2018-19
Allison (Liverpool)
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City)
Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)
Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
Fernandinho (Manchester City)
Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Date: Sunday, November 25
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
JERSEY INFO
Red Jersey
General Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the leader of the General Classification by time.
Green Jersey
Points Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the fastest sprinter, who has obtained the best positions in each stage and intermediate sprints.
White Jersey
Young Rider Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the best young rider born after January 1, 1995 in the overall classification by time (U25).
Black Jersey
Intermediate Sprint Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the rider who has gained the most Intermediate Sprint Points.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
