The condition is very common in creative fields, where so much is expected; much of it unrealistic. Here’s what creative teams don’t get in trying to move past imagination-stagnation with intense brainstorming sessions. Brainstorming can have the opposite effect. They only work when people are feeling great. When people are stuck, brainstorming just makes people feel stressed out and nervous, they will then consume more 90% cocoa, espresso and smoke more ciggies in an attempt to gain control. At the root of the ‘Me Marinade’ syndrome is a feeling of being helpless and out of control.

Here are some ideas to think about.

Right-brain, left-brain stimulation.

As an attendee of Jennifer Lee’s brilliant, The Right-Brainers in Business Video Summit in early March, I was surprised to learn that by doing left-brain activities (math, puzzles etc.) you can actually balance/stimulate the right side of the brain. It seems by using the left side of the brain you free up the right brain – thereby finding fresh creative pathways.

The rebirth of using hands, paper and drawing tools.

Freeform sketching and doodling is very helpful as a jar-busting problem solver. It’s well known that creative types like to use their hands. So why not keep traditional drawing media around and set aside time on a regular basis for drawing and doodling? You can doodle and draw yourself out of the ‘Me Marinade’ because spontaneous doodling releases information from the subconscious parts of the brain. This can unleash abundant possibilities and ideas. For more ideas on this topic, read The Miseducation of the Doodle by Sunni Brown on A List Apart.

Finally go out at night and look at the sky and stars.

Nothing to add to that, looking at the cosmos puts everything in perspective. It’s a liberating act by itself.

As a starting point my experience matters first – for UX and everything related to design. If something doesn’t work for me, there’s a good reason why. Because I’m the expert. My eye is trained like a sumi brush. But more importantly I know what works and what doesn’t.

The interesting thing is – when you pare things down, you begin to understand how to use emptiness as a design element. Empty space then begins to drive the visual design, even more than the actual content. It’s all very Zen. It takes a certain amount of bravery to keep things minimal and not over embellish. And you’ve got to know when it’s time to toss out a bad idea.

Lately the web is starting to look like Grandma’s attic with all the Web 2.0 accoutrements. There’s so much to sort through – from vintage desk tops to spilled coffee. I’m wondering what’s beneath it all. Maybe nothing….

Aside from not looking professional – (like I’m expecting you to answer the door in your PJs) it’s also not smart from a security point-of-view. It’s like a public announcement to potential burglars to case out your home for computers and other booty. A quiet suburban street generally has long periods of time when no one is around. Plus homes have lots of greenery and space to hide behind.

PO Boxes are an inexpensive and more secure location option. Check out below what we now see as your business location.

I have a rule which works for me. I will use one, maybe two of these designs elements within a fresh layout that includes lots of original visuals elements. Ideas for the visuals are pulled from the client Info Gathering phase – as a result clients tend to respond positively when they see their input taken seriously. Especially when the work is moving in a great direction. At this stage I think it’s important to get other colleagues involved – getting their feedback is super important. Make sure every element serves a purpose; even if it’s just pointing the way.

Finally, sometimes it’s a good thing to have a client go away. It can be very liberating. When you’re creating a couple of boring landing pages every month that always look more or less the same and bring in a safe, dependable amount of money, it’s hard to let it go. Especially in these times. However I’ve found that when this happens, almost immediately something new comes in its place 100 Xs more creative and fun.

Fortunately most business people are savvy and upfront; they don’t want to waste your time or theirs so they get back to you one way or the other quickly. But there are others who for some reason, staying on top of things is difficult; they get bogged down or sidetracked easily. So in this case the best thing to do is to be patient. Still continue reaching out on a regular basis by letting the client know that you’re looking forward to working with her/him. Or keep things fresh by continuing to contribute critical info on the project – more solutions, ideas and options. For example you can say something like this in an email to the client: “I’ve done some research on various opensource CMS options and I’d love to chat with you on a solution that would work…” Don’t lose hope; people are super busy right now. This approach has worked for me many times and gotten even the most elusive clients back on track.

On the other hand, there are people that get cold feet, are in limbo, or decide to go with another company – they’re just not comfortable dealing with these awkward situations. In this case you can continue reaching out – calling a couple of times a week with a follow-up email. But after 2 – 3 weeks, I’d just add their info to the DB and move on. The most important thing to take note of about this scenario is not to get angry at them – or waste any time fretting over what could have been OR applying First Aid to the ego by telling yourself that they made a big mistake by not engaging you. Just preserve your energy by moving on to the next great adventure.

The last scenario is where the client has actually disappeared. If you’re lucky, eventually you’ll find out what happened. I had a client who took off to Thailand – he was never heard of again. Good for me – it happened in the beginning.

Lake Jenkinson in Placer county California

Hot rain in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo

Northern California coastline in summer