May 18, 2022

By Karry Liu, Brand Guardian

When you’re constantly creating things for work and yourself, it’s only a matter of time until you come across the hardest “raid boss” outside of the gaming world — the creative block. About three-quarters of the way into my first year at Rogue, I had met my match. 

What does one do when there doesn’t seem to be a solution in sight? Consult the wisest member in your party. For me, that was Mike — Rogue’s very own Creative Jedi, a master of his own craft, my most trusted mentor, and basically a problem-solving genius. His advice was simple; take a walk and curate inspiration.

Take a walk.

Sometimes brute-forcing your way into designing something will work, and sometimes it just … won’t. Pushing yourself to unlock creative treasures and achievements all the time is exhausting. Instead, pause and try the opposite. Take a break, a walk, a deep breath. Let your mind rest and recharge. You know you’re a creative person. You just need a break like any other human. When you’re creating things 24/7, of course you’ll run out of fuel. 

Fuel up and restore your power with a walk. Try going somewhere to separate yourself from the madness. The change in scenery or even what you may come across might spark some inspiration.

Curate inspiration

Sometimes we need a helping hand or a gentle nudge. I strongly encourage any creative to curate an armory of inspiration. Whether on your walk or in your daily life, keep your phone with you as a tool to capture energy: art you’ve discovered, patterns you’ve spotted, anything interesting that makes you pause, think, or want to create. 

For me, I love snapping photos of gorgeous product packaging, eye-catching book covers, historical architecture etched with culture, and clever social media posts. Catch me at Central Market and Barnes & Noble never buying a single thing. They’re my favorite spots to take my walks, curate inspiration, gain experience, and level up. 

Challenge yourself to do this every day for a week. By the end of it, you’ll have already curated a fair-sized inventory, filled with things that energize you to create. Now, if you ever run into a creative block, you can toggle through your arsenal and easily draw inspiration. That raid boss has got nothin’ on you.