It happens to the best of us: the dreaded designer’s block! Maybe you’re on a tight deadline, feeling the pressure to perform, and just when you need it most your creative mojo is nowhere to be found. You stare blankly into a blank screen, take deep breaths and wait for the inspiration to come. Yeah, good luck with that! How about being proactive about fighting that nasty bout of designer’s block? In no particular order, and based solely upon the my own battles with the beast, here are a few ideas on how to get the creative juices flowing:

7) Sleep!

Yeah, I know it’s tough to believe that you actually need more than 4 hours of sleep a night! It’s sad but true. Sleep deprivation actually impacts your ability to function, including your ability to design. When we sleep we recharge our brain’s frontal cortex, which just happens to be the part of the brain that controls speech, memory and problem solving. Ever been up working at 2 a.m. and struggled to come up with a seemingly simple design solution? Not only does sleep deprivation impact our frontal cortex, but it also adversely effects our emotional state and reaction time, giving us the uncanny reflexes of an intoxicated college kid. Bottom line? Figure it out, or go get some sleep first and then figure it out.

6) Make Some Whoopi

Surprised to see sex on the list? Well, it could just be one of the best weapons to fight designer’s block. Engaging in the act of sex has a big impact on your psychological and physiological state of being. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the positive effects of good whoopi:

• Reduced Stress
• Pain Relief through the release of endorphins
• Boosted immunity to sickness
• Excercise

An article found on iVillage.com sums it up like this, “It is an open secret that a person gets into a cheerful mood during an act of love. In addition to purely psychological satisfaction, the human body produces endorphins – the hormone in charge of elevated spirits and positive perception of the environment. Researchers say that such inspiration comes from the activity of certain brain centers, which change the hormonal status of the body. Good quality sex produces a spiritually elevating effect on the chemical level, which does not require any additional efforts.” So, there you have it, sex = inspiration. How’s that for a good excuse!?

5) Exercise

Similar to the effects of lovemaking, exercise has profound effects on the human body. Who knew? Now, I’m not suggesting you become a marathon runner, but come on 8-10 hours of sitting on your @$$ will take it’s toll. Aside from all of the physical benefits, such as strengthening your cardiovascular and respiratory system, decreasing your risk of numerous diseases, managing your weight and potentially increasing your life span, there are plenty of other reasons why exercise is a great idea. Like sex, exercise releases endorphins, aids in releasing stress and managing pain. In my experience when you feel better, your work better.

4) More Coffee Please

While this may be a bit counterintuitive to aiding in sleep, a cup of coffee can be a great way to get the old gears turning. Now I’m not going to go into the long term effects of caffeine on the body, other than to say it is addictive and it’s not all that great for you. But we all know that! Coffee contains caffeine, a drug that has some interesting effects on the brain and body. When consumed, caffeine stimulates brain activity by increasing neuron firing, and releasing adrenaline, resulting in an increased sense of alertness and energy. Similar to heroine, caffeine also boosts dopamine production which triggers “pleasure centers”, meaning it makes you feel good. In conclusion, caffeine in long term use is bad, but in short term use may be just the drug induced boost you need to overcome your designer’s block.

3) Laugh it up

If you’re not to keen on caffeine highs, then you may want try out laughter. Studies on how laughter effects the body have actually found that laughter is good for you. When you laugh your muscles loosen, your blood pressure lowers, and similar to caffeine, “pleasure centers” in the brain are triggered. There’s even been evidence to support that laughter can reduce levels of hormones that cause stress and weaken immunity. So go ahead, laugh it up fuzzball!

2) Step Away from the Computer

Yes, we all know you’re attached, especially if it’s an Apple, but seriously take a break! Not only can sitting in front of your computer for hours on end cause bed sores, it also can get monotonous. Getting a breath of fresh air, stretching your legs or going out for a little social interaction can really help rejuvenate that supply of creative juices. I’ve found that one of the best places to find inspiration is the city. With so many different colors, sounds and interesting shapes it’s hard not to be inspired. I think that much of one’s environment is directly expressed through design, so try and go somewhere that inspires you and you’ll be designing in no time!

1) Get Inspired through Others

One of the very best ways to fight designer’s block lies in the talent of your fellow designers! Getting inspired by others is not only an essential part of being inspired, it’s also an essential tool to becoming a better designer. The web is a great place to start. Check out css galleries, deviantART, Design Meltdown, or Flickr collections just to name a few. But don’t stop at websites. Inspiration lies all around you in the form of architecture, movies, games, clothes and even furniture. Keep bookmarks, photo collections, scrapbooks, sketches and anything else that could help inspire you. Once you’ve got designer’s block beat, you may just help another designer in need someday!