How to get out of an inspiration slump at work

Getting out of your comfort zone can re-invigorate you—and teach you a thing or two along the way. Penny Adams, a pet photographer, found a burst of inspiration after attending a three-day workshop. Instead of losing productivity to the three days away, she was able to come back refreshed and ready to go.

If your work is starting to feel mundane, consider taking a course, attending a conference, or learning an adjacent skill. Finding a community of like-minded professionals can also expose you to new perspectives.

If trying a new angle on the same topic isn't working, how about abandoning your niche altogether for a moment? Jason Bradwell, the Senior Director of Group Marketing and Communications at Deltatre, turns to fiction writing to give his ideas space and time to form.

It's tempting to dive deeper into the subject matter to try and unlock the next insight, but reading something creative helps my brain relax without totally switching off.

It's beyond just thinking outside the box—it's closing the box and putting it in storage.

Focusing only on big goals (and how far away you are from them) is demoralizing. To help curb idea slumps in the future, set up a way to automate positivity.

A simple weekly reminder in Slack for your team to share their wins helps everyone appreciate the journey.

Sometimes you'll be sick of working on the same thing every day. That's ok! While you can't ignore the task at hand, you can lean into the lack of excitement. Feeling uninspired isn't always something you need to force yourself to fix, and in fact, boredom can be good for productivity.

Anthony Garone, a technical content writer, finds that "boredom is the breeding ground for a great idea," and he creates that boredom by taking a walk (which can absolutely boost your creativity).