We all fall into ruts sometimes. You sit down to paint or sketch or write, and nothing clicks. The colors feel flat. Your ideas feel tired. And suddenly, that joyful creative flow you used to have feels more like a slow crawl.

Trust me—I’ve been there more times than I can count.

The good news? You don’t need to wait around for inspiration to magically strike. Sometimes the best thing you can do is shake things up—intentionally. Try something different. Break your usual patterns. And give yourself permission to play again.

So if you’re feeling a little stuck (or just bored), here are five fun and simple ways to shake up your creative routine—ones I return to often, both in my own work and when I’m guiding students through creative block.

1. Switch Up Your Medium

If watercolor is your go-to (like it is for me), working with a totally different medium can wake things up fast. It doesn’t need to be fancy or even permanent. The goal isn’t to master something new—it’s to jolt your creative brain out of autopilot.

• Try making a quick ink wash using coffee or tea. (Yes, really.)
• Play around with cut paper or layering textures using magazine scraps.
• Use dry media like chalk or charcoal and let your hands get messy.
• Experiment with digital drawing on your iPad—especially if you’re used to analog.
• Or grab some kids' supplies—crayons, markers, stickers—and just make something light and weird for fun.

Sometimes the wrong tools are exactly what you need to loosen up. When you take the pressure off to make it “good,” you start making it you. And that’s when the magic comes back.

On the topic of experimenting with different mediums—AI art is definitely on the rise. I wrote a blog all about the pros and cons, including how it can help with creative blocks when used with intention. If you’re curious about how AI fits into a creative practice, you can dive into that post here.

2. Use a Different Workspace (or No Workspace at All)

We’re creatures of habit. We all have our favorite place to create, our go-to supplies (find mine here), and desk setup. But when things start to feel stale, changing where (and how) I work can make a huge difference.

Try moving to a different room. Paint outside. Take your sketchbook to a coffee shop or the park. (Yes, you might get a few stares, but also—who cares?)

You can even ditch the idea of a “workspace” altogether. I’ve had great ideas while sitting on the floor with my son or doodling at the kitchen table.

When you shake up your creative routine by simply shifting your environment, your mind starts to see things from a new perspective—and sometimes, that’s all it takes.

3. Limit Yourself (in a Fun Way!)

This one might sound counterintuitive, but hear me out.

Sometimes creativity thrives when you set constraints. Try giving yourself a prompt, or limit the colors you use in a painting. Choose one brush and see what you can create with just that. Or challenge yourself to fill a page in five minutes without overthinking.

I do this all the time when I feel overwhelmed or aimless. It’s like giving your brain a small sandbox to play in. Instead of stressing about infinite possibilities, you get to focus—and sometimes the most unexpected magic shows up.

If you’ve ever done one of my YouTube tutorials or joined one of my courses, you know I’m all about this. A little structure can go a long way.

4. Collaborate or Get Inspired by Someone Else’s Work

When your creative energy is running low, it can help to step outside of your own head for a bit. Look around. What are other artists creating? What feels exciting to you right now?

This doesn’t mean copying (in fact, I wrote a whole blog post about how to be inspired without copying). But there’s something really refreshing about seeing how someone else solves a visual problem or plays with shape and texture.

Better yet—collaborate! Team up with a friend. Let your kid do the first half of a drawing and you finish it. Create something together without worrying about what it “should” look like.

Some of my favorite creative moments lately have come from playing side-by-side with Myles. Kids don’t overthink—they just make. (There’s a lesson in there for all of us.)

5. Play Like a Kid Again

Speaking of kids… have you ever watched one paint?

They’re not worried about perspective or composition. They’re just exploring. Trying things. Making messes. Starting over. Laughing at the weird stuff that happens when the water bleeds outside the lines.

As adults, we lose a lot of that instinct. We start aiming for “good” instead of true. But if you really want to shake up your creative routine, give yourself permission to play.

Use colors you don’t normally use. Paint something ridiculous on purpose. Don’t try to fix anything—just make.

I wrote more about this in my blog post on unfiltered creativity and the magic of young minds. Kids are some of the best creative teachers out there, and the more I lean into that kind of curiosity, the more fun I have in my work.

Ready for More? Grab The Creativity Playbook

If you’re feeling stuck or just want more ways to stretch your creativity, I created something just for you—The Creativity Playbook.

It’s packed with simple, powerful prompts to help you experiment, reset, and reconnect to your creative voice. Think of it as your go-to tool for getting unstuck (or just keeping things fresh). Whether you’ve been painting for years or you’re just starting out, there’s something in it for you.

Keep It Moving

The truth is, creative ruts are normal. They’re not a sign that something’s wrong—they’re a sign that something needs to shift.

So the next time you feel stuck or uninspired, try one of these five shake-ups. Switch things around. Try something new. And remember, your creativity isn’t gone—it’s just waiting for a little nudge.

Whether you’re deep into a watercolor series (here’s a popular one of mine) or just playing around with your first brush set, these simple changes can help shake up your creative routine and bring some joy back to the process.

Because that’s what it’s really about—the process. The exploration. The moments when you surprise yourself.

So go ahead—shake things up. You never know what beautiful thing might happen next.