11 shortcuts I use to make me more creative that feel like cheating

16 years of making a living from creativity taught me not to grind through creative blocks.

I’ve learned that forcing creativity when the tank is empty is one of the least productive things I can do, and I spent years doing it before I figured that out.

These days, I use a handful of shortcuts that keep the ideas flowing and the work feeling fun.

None of them are complicated, and most of them look lazy from the outside.

1. Lie down and stare at the ceiling.

When I’m stuck, I get up from my desk, walk to my bedroom, and lie down with a notebook next to me.

Pressure lifts when I change environments, and within ten minutes, ideas start poking out like gophers at a golf course.

I give myself permission to do seemingly lazy things because this is often when I’m at my most creative.