Gippsland blue skies.

So, as the headline suggests, I'm not feeling inspired today and I'm OK with that.

Creative block happens to all of us (especially on a Monday) so I will continue with the mundane formatting and editing (annual report, yes, still) that I've been attending to for the last few weeks.

It's a challenge to be creative on demand, day-in, day-out but when your livelihood relies on your creativity sometimes you just have to press on. Some days it takes an hour to write what would normally take 30 minutes. It happens.

What would I do if inspired creativity was required today? What depths would I plumb to get my groove back? It's not always easy or straightforward to overcome creative block.

Here are some techniques I apply to re-inspire the deflated creative soul:

1. Pinterest. Did you hear me correctly? Yes, Pinterest isn't just for time-wasting. It can also offer some fantastic creative inspiration to get the juices flowing again.

2. Drawing. I'm not a hand drawer, I'm a computer drawer but if I am feeling at a low creative ebb I "play" in Illustrator for 10-15 minutes on a project that is completely non-work related. Crazy colours, textures and effects can get out some of that "so sick of the same colour" frustration.

3. Fresh air. I find it very difficult to stop and take a break but now the weather is turning into spring, a glimpse of blue sky and a lung full of fresh air can work wonders.

4. Clean up. I rarely notice the items that clutter my peripheral vision but the process of disposing of unwanted items can free up some brain space.

5. Make a list. Creative block can be caused (in my case) by too many ideas, thoughts and to-dos competing for attention in my brain. Writing them down (in no particular order) can help me feel more ordered.