You’re stuck – you’re sitting at your computer with a blank screen and no brilliant thoughts. You try your first sentence but it’s awful, so you hit the delete button. Or maybe you’ve already got a great lede but you can’t get past the first paragraph and the piece is due tomorrow. What do you do? Head for the refrigerator for a quick fix? Call a friend? Stall by posting on twitter or Facebook?
Those are all time killers and won’t solve the problem. How do you find inspiration when you’re stuck? Move a muscle and change a thought.
Trust me, it works! Get out of your rut and find the inspiration by becoming active. You don’t have to leave the house. You can do some Yoga sun salutations, grab a jump rope, run in place or climb up and down stairs — but I find it’s best to change the environment. When I’m stuck and the words won’t come, I lace up my sneakers (even in the dead of winter) and take a break outside. The sky and sun always have an energizing effect and when I return to my apartment, I somehow know exactly what will work as my first sentence or second paragraph. If it’s raining or snowing, I still go – I grab my umbrella and head outside because just breathing in fresh air is enough to jumpstart my energy.
To move a muscle and change a thought you don’t have to be athletic — you just need enough willpower to get out of your slippers and head for the sidewalk or park. I like to take it up a few notches, so when I’m in a writing rut, I go for a run or a bike ride. I give myself permission not to think about the piece I’m working on because I know that once I start sweating and the endorphins kick in, I will have empowered my body and my brain will eventually follow. If that sounds too new age-y for you, trust me and give it a shot anyway. I don’t believe in the power of crystals but I do believe in the power of movement. Think of physical activity as making love to your muscles.
I know you’re thinking that movement has nothing to do with your stuck piece but by the time you’ve gone back to your desk, I’ll bet that you’ve become unstuck and the words are flowing again. If you don’t believe me, still give it a try because the worst case scenario is that you’ll burn some calories, and how bad is that?