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
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
More on animal trafficking
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
