8 Unusual Tricks to Help You Feel More Creative

Everyone has days when ideas seem stuck and nothing exciting comes to mind. Creativity isn’t just for artists or designers. It’s something everyone uses, whether you’re solving a problem at work, coming up with dinner, or decorating your space. Sometimes, the usual tips like “go for a walk” or “listen to music” just don’t cut it. When your brain needs something different to get going, trying something unexpected can help you shake loose those dull thoughts and feel inspired again.

Here are eight unusual but surprisingly effective tricks to help you feel more creative.

1. Taste Something New to Jolt Your Senses

Creativity isn’t just mental. It starts with your senses. A powerful taste can actually shift your brain’s attention, opening the door to fresh thinking. Trying a strong or unfamiliar flavor resets your focus in a way that’s both surprising and helpful.

• Try a spicy or bold food that makes you pause. Something like a rich, flavorful hot sauce can give your taste buds a wake-up call. It doesn’t just grab your mouth’s attention—it also breaks routine, which can free up your brain.

• Use food to snap yourself out of autopilot. When you eat something that challenges your palate, your brain is pulled into the moment. This switch in focus can make it easier to think differently afterward.

• Shift your energy by switching up meals. Even small changes, like using a new sauce or seasoning, can make you feel refreshed and more curious. That energy often flows right into whatever you’re working on.

One product that does this really well comes from Elijah’s Xtreme, a company known for their handcrafted hot sauces packed with bold flavors and just the right amount of heat. Their Xtreme Trio offers a spicy kick that’s unforgettable and oddly motivating.

2. Set a Tiny, Weird Timer Challenge

Creativity often hides behind perfectionism. One way to trick yourself into getting past that is by using a very short, very specific timer.

• Give yourself 3 minutes to write down 10 weird ideas. The key here is not quality, but speed. When you’re racing against the clock, your inner critic gets quiet, and your brain taps into more raw, unusual ideas.

• Set an odd timer like 4 minutes and 47 seconds. Your brain reacts to unusual numbers with more interest than it does to the usual 5 or 10. That slight disruption in normal thinking makes it easier to focus.

• Switch between serious and silly goals. For one timer, work on something thoughtful. For the next, draw the ugliest picture possible. The switch keeps your thinking loose and playful.

3. Mess Up on Purpose

Trying to get everything right the first time is one of the fastest ways to block your own creativity. But purposely making something bad takes the pressure off and lets the real ideas start flowing.

• Make a “bad version” of what you’re working on. This could be an ugly sketch, a messy paragraph, or a clunky idea. When you tell yourself it’s supposed to be bad, it gets done faster—and sometimes it ends up being better than expected.

• Write a list of the worst ideas ever. Let yourself laugh at them. The humor alone can spark something new and surprisingly useful.

• Try doing the opposite of what you normally do. If you usually plan everything out, try creating without a plan. If you’re a tidy artist, make a mess. Breaking patterns opens up new paths.

4. Add One Totally Random Thing

When your brain is too focused, it can become narrow. Adding a wild, unrelated element forces it to stretch and make new connections.

• Choose a word from a book or magazine at random. Then try to work that word into your current project. Your brain will have to make connections that weren’t obvious before.

• Include something strange on purpose. A splash of color, a weird sound, or a nonsensical word can be enough to shift the direction of your work.

• Let something totally unrelated influence your process. For example, base your next idea on the shape of a cloud or the beat of a song you don’t normally like. Newness invites fresh thinking.

5. Change the Rules of Your Space

Your environment shapes how you think. By messing with the rules of your space—even in small ways—you create openings for new ideas.

• Sit in a different spot or work in a weird position. If you always sit at your desk, try the floor or a hallway. Your body and mind respond to changes in routine.

• Use the “wrong” tools. If you usually type, try writing by hand. If you paint, try using paper towels. The shift forces you to engage in a new way.

• Switch up your lighting or sound. Use colored light bulbs or a totally different playlist. Even background noise can change how your brain processes ideas.

6. Borrow a Brain (Temporarily)

Creativity doesn’t have to be solo. Borrowing another way of thinking can open up ideas you wouldn’t have thought of alone.

• Ask someone who doesn’t “get it” to look at your work. People outside your space can spot patterns or ideas that are invisible to you.

• Explain your problem to a child. The way kids break things down forces you to look at what really matters.

• Use a character or persona. Pretend you’re someone else while you work—an explorer, a comedian, a villain. The role-play frees up fresh angles.

7. Trick Your Brain with Movement

Physical movement can shake mental blocks loose, especially when it’s unexpected or playful. It doesn’t have to be intense—just different.

• Move in ways that make you laugh. Dance badly. Walk backward. Jump like you’re a video game character. The movement lifts tension and opens mental space.

• Act out part of your project. If you’re writing dialogue, speak it aloud. If you’re drawing, pretend to be the character. Stepping into your work physically helps it feel more real.

• Use a rhythm or beat. Clap, stomp, or snap in a pattern while brainstorming. Repetitive movement adds structure that can help ideas fall into place.

8. Pause Your Progress on Purpose

Stopping something before it’s done might sound like giving up, but it’s actually a clever way to keep your brain working in the background.

• End your work session mid-sentence or mid-sketch. This leaves a thread open for your brain to follow later. It also makes it easier to pick back up.

• Give your mind space by doing something unrelated. Fold laundry, take a shower, or organize a drawer. Boring tasks let your thoughts wander.

• Don’t rush the answer. Sometimes the best thing you can do for a stuck idea is walk away from it and come back fresh.

Conclusion

Creativity is never as far away as it feels. You don’t need big changes or intense routines. Often, it’s the small, strange shifts that open up something new. Try one today. See what happens. And when the next creative block rolls in, you’ll have more than a few weird, wonderful ways to break through.