There’s nothing worse than staring at a blank page. The dreaded writer’s block gets even the best of us. I’ve certainly had my fair share of mornings when I just couldn’t think of anything to fill that blank page with.

Soon enough, though, I realized through trial and error that there are some fail-safe steps I can take to kick-start my creativity.

Here are my top 5 sources of inspiration for slow days:

1) Sign up to a daily writing challenge.

You’ll have to face your fear, staring at a blank page every day. But you’re accountable to someone and have spent money (I believe ‘made an investment’ is what they call it in marketing speak), so you’ll find you’ll inevitably force yourself to get something onto paper after all.

Even if it isn’t Shakespeare, it’s a good habit to get into. I’m currently halfway through a 30-day writing challenge and have found the gentle pressure very useful. Most of all, I don’t want to let myself down! So challenge yourself and see what happens.

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2) Go outside.

Sit on the patio. Walk the dog. Take in the country air or the sights and sounds of your inner-city block. Feel the sun (or rain) and breeze on your skin.

Take in the colours of the trees and flowers around you, or study the architecture of buildings you pass. There’s no way you won’t come back inspired!

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3) Read a magazine.

I deliberately pick magazines over books. Magazines provide visual inspiration in addition to text.

Take in all the photos and drawings, examine the fonts, check out the headlines…. Choose magazines on topics that interest you. Magazines are also short enough for you to pick one up and read an article whenever you have a couple of minutes to spare.

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4) Sign up for an online course.

Enroll in something you’ve always been interested in. I recently decided to enrol in a part-time BA in Psychology, Philosophy and Religious Studies, some 20 years after completing my MA, just for fun and to learn new things. And it’s proved very worthwhile and inspirational.

But you can pick short, free courses too, on any topic under the sun. Astrology? Crocheting? Marketing? Drawing? The online course world is truly your oyster! And what you learn will give you plenty of ideas to write about.

Photo by Lewis Keegan - Skillscouter.com on Unsplash

5) Do nothing.

Yep. Nothing at all. Set aside some time each day to sit still and do nothing. Meditate. Listen to some relaxing music. Breathe. Or do a guided meditation. Clear your mind and start afresh afterwards. It helps me every time when I’m stuck.

Photo by Артемий Савинков on Unsplash

Next time you’re lost for words, give one (or all) of these tips a try. I hope you’ll find them as effective as I have on slow days when your creativity needs a little kickstart.

This article was originally published on medium.