How to Stay on Top of Your Creative Edge (Even When You Feel Stuck)

Written by Jessica Wallace:

If you’re reading this chances are you’re either a business owner navigating the modern era of marketing, a creator chasing your next great idea, or just genuinely curious about what it is we do… right? Before we dive into the feeling stuck- let me start off by saying creativity isn’t a light switch, it’s a system.

Beyond being a marketing and media agency, we help business owners and creators navigate the digital space — and part of that navigation means understanding how creativity actually works.

Let’s get right to it — the creative block we all experience often comes down to a lack of stimulation.

And I’m not saying you don’t love your job — but sitting in the same spot for six hours trying to force something to happen when nothing’s happening for you? That’s not creativity; that’s burnout in disguise. It drains your productivity, and truthfully, you’ll probably redo it tomorrow anyway.

Here’s what science has to say

When creativity is firing at full capacity, three main brain networks are working together:

• Default Mode Network (DMN): active during mind-wandering and spontaneous thought

• Executive Control Network (ECN): active when you organize, evaluate, and focus

• Salience Network: the switchboard that toggles between the two — deciding when to daydream and when to get to work

In short, creative mode = idea generation + evaluation + connection.

As Nature puts it, “Creativity involves expert balance of two brain networks typically viewed as being in opposition.”

What’s really happening during a creative block

When your brain toggles between imagination (DMN) and focus (ECN), it burns higher levels of glucose and oxygen — literal brain fuel.

You’re essentially running two systems at once: one dreaming, one editing. That dual demand fatigues the brain faster than operating in a single, linear mode.

Once those energy resources dip, the Salience Network — the switchboard that helps you jump between ideas and execution — slows down. That’s when you hit the “blank mind” feeling.

Main takeaway:

Your brain burns fuel when it creates. So when you hit a wall, it’s not failure — it’s biology.

🧩 How to Stay on Top of Your Creative Edge

Here’s how to keep your creative circuits firing without burning out:

1. Change your environment. Novelty sparks new neural connections. Move your workspace, step outside, or change your sensory input (music, light, scenery).

2. Take strategic pauses. Short breaks — even two minutes of movement or stretching — help reset your Salience Network and restore creative energy.

3. Feed your curiosity. Consume inspiration outside your niche: photography, architecture, nature, even conversations. Creative inputs matter.

4. Separate creation from evaluation. Let yourself create freely first — edit later. It keeps both brain networks from battling for dominance.

5. Rest with intention. True downtime (not scrolling) is where your brain repairs, stores, and refuels. Creativity thrives on recovery.

Final Thought

You don’t lose creativity — you just lose the energy to access it. So next time your ideas stall, don’t force it. Refuel, re-stir your curiosity, and give your brain space to reconnect. Because at Refined Media 716, we don’t wait for inspiration — we create the conditions for it.

Because we all know creativity needs caffeine here's our top picks for wifi friendly local cafes:

• Alpine Bistro- Ellicottville, NY

• Katy's Cafe- Ellicottville, NY

• Springville Art's Cafe- Ellicottville, NY