Designers Out of Ideas? Apply These Tips Now to 'Recharge' Your Creativity!

In today's colorful and competitive design world, " creativity " is no longer an advantage but a requirement. You can be proficient in software, understand layout and understand color rules, but if you lack creative thinking, your product will stop at the "technically correct" level without creating emotions. And importantly, creativity does not come naturally. No one is born with a head full of good ideas. It is the result of practice, observation, exposure and testing every day. This article will share with you simple but extremely effective tips to help nurture and develop creativity . Not only for new designers but also for those who have been working for many years but are experiencing an " idea crisis ".

1. Creativity is not a talent

One of the biggest barriers for creative people, especially in the design field, is the thought: “I don't have a creative talent.”

In fact, many studies on thinking and neuroscience have shown that creativity is a skill, not a privilege of a lucky group of people. That means: you can absolutely learn and practice to become more creative.

Even famous artists and designers like Pablo Picasso, Paula Scher or Stefan Sagmeister – they all went through periods of “idea block”, and they overcame it not by magic, but by a regular daily creative habit.

If you think of creativity as a muscle, exercising it every day will make it stronger, more flexible, and more durable in the process of working.

2. Tips for practicing creativity for designers

2.1. Quantity over quality

During practice, instead of focusing on the quality of output, focus on quantity. Quantitative exercises will help you to generate ideas, even the bad ones.

When you need new ideas, write down all the key words or sketch out as many layouts as possible that pop into your head. Then take some time to review them and choose the most feasible ideas.

2.2. Create an idea collection

Keeping a record of your favorite designs is a habit that can help you in the long run. Whenever you see an inspiring design, take a photo or write it down and add it to your collection. This will be a great source of inspiration for you to create a great design.

Organize them scientifically by topic, author, color, etc. so you can search easily. In addition, you can also prepare a notebook to sketch your ideas. Maybe at this moment you do not need it, but maybe one day it will help you a lot.

2.3. Join the design community

Design groups on social networks or online platforms like Dribbble, Behance, Freepik... are places to help you find great sources of creative inspiration.

Joining a community of designers not only provides you with the latest news and trends in the design world, but also gives you the opportunity to discuss with other designers. Not only that, you can upload your own works and get valuable feedback to improve yourself.

2.4. Try new things

Watching movies, playing games, traveling… are some forms of entertainment that many people choose when they need to relieve stress or find new inspiration. In addition to these methods, you can try doing something new that you have never done before such as: walking instead of driving, trying a new dish or drink…

Don't confine yourself to any limits. When you try something new, you step out of your comfort zone, learn more, expand your mind, and push your creative thinking.

2.5. Practice, practice and practice

The last and most important tip should be repeated three times. Creativity is a skill that can be trained, so take the time to practice it every day. It doesn’t have to be complicated, you can practice simple creativity exercises such as: completing a drawing from a given shape, sketching many shapes from available squares, circles, triangles, etc.

The key to creativity is to free yourself from fixed patterns and allow the unconscious part of your mind to take over. So, while you practice, let your imagination run wild.

2.6. Take time to “do nothing” to let your brain rest

In modern life, we often get caught up in the cycle of “always being busy”, always doing something, always creating something. But if you are a designer, there is a secret that seems to go against logic: if you want to be more creative, do… nothing.

It sounds absurd, but science supports this. When you let your mind relax, without the pressure of deadlines or ideas, your brain will enter the state of Incubation. This is the stage where the information, images, and inspirations you have unconsciously received are "hidden" and processed by your brain, connecting them together. And then a breakthrough idea appears at the moment you least expect it.

Get into the habit of intentionally taking breaks: no phone, no email, no internet. Just let yourself “breathe,” empty yourself for a few minutes. You’ll be surprised at what your mind can do.

2.7. Ask “What if…” questions to broaden your approach

Sometimes when you’re designing, you feel stuck, not because you lack skills, but because your brain is stuck in familiar patterns. You’re trying to think outside the box, but you don’t know where to start. Here’s a simple yet powerful tool to help you: start with a “What if…” question.

This is not just a game of imagination, but a way to “hack” your thinking to expand your perspective. When you make strange assumptions, sometimes silly, sometimes impossible. You are forcing your brain to leave its comfort zone and think in a completely new way.

Imagine this:

What if this poster was designed in a cartoon style?

Maybe you'll change up your current color scheme with brighter hues, add fun details, or simplify the layout to make it more kid-friendly.

What if I had to redesign this app for… blind people?

Suddenly, you start thinking about sound, vibration feedback, voice navigation – elements that were never in the drawing board before.

If this logo is printed on a cake, what changes should the shape make?

You will consider 3D elements, materials (cream, chocolate, sugar powder), simplicity in lines – so that the logo is still recognizable when... eaten.

These seemingly random questions force you to look at the problem from a completely different perspective. And from there, open up ideas that your brain would normally “pass over” because it is too familiar with the old way of thinking.

Creativity does not come from impulsive moments, but is the result of long-term nurturing . As a designer, you are doing a wonderful job – where you can turn ideas into products, emotions into images, thoughts into experiences. Practice persistently, keep your mind curious and your hands constantly creating value. And you will find that creativity is a habit, the more you do it, the more it “absorbs”.