If you write on a regular basis, chances are you’ve come across an annoying mental state called writer’s block. Whether you choose to deny its existence or not, it’s a phenomena that has poked at some of the best writers of all time, including Ernest Hemingway, Mark Twain, Roald Dahl and my personal favorite, J.K. Rowling.

When Rowling once said, “Sometimes the ideas just come to me. Other times I have to sweat and almost bleed to make ideas come,” I couldn’t have agreed more. There are days when I find myself swimming with interesting ideas and witty phrases, and other days, nothing. And if you’re anything like me, you might find yourself pretty frustrated over it.

But before you throw your keyboard (or pen) against the wall and swear that you’ll never write again, know that there are a few things that you can do to break up the dark cloud inside your mind.

Here are six of my go-to tips and activities to defeat writer’s block:

Do Some Research.

Sometimes just reading or browsing online about your topic can help spark an idea that may have never occurred to you before. The excitement of a new point of view can often get your creative juices flowing.

Get Brewing.

Whether it’s a 10-foot walk to the kitchen or a 5-minute drive to your favorite coffee shop, the little mental break and caffeine buzz could help get your energy up and mind working in your favor.

Take a Shower or Bath.

You know it’s true- we come up with our best ideas in the shower. (Note: You may get strange looks if you’re at the office.)

Put Your Phone Away.

Hearing your phone ring or watching it light up with every call, text, tweet or notification will only disrupt your thought processes. Stick it in your desk drawer, or better yet, in another room, to ensure that it won’t distract you. 

Do Something Creative.

Do you play an instrument? Love to draw or paint? Great with Photoshop? Try doing one of your favorite activities to briefly let your mind drift from the task at hand. When you sit back down to write you’ll not only be refreshed, but also happy and alert to creativity. 

Stop Editing.

Personally, this is my biggest problem – I want every sentence to flow and every idea to be articulated perfectly. But sometimes, just getting the roughest version down first is good enough to propel you forward. There’s always plenty of time to go back and inspect each sentence – at least by then you know what you’re trying to say!

The next time you’re experiencing a little bit of writer’s block, don’t be hard on yourself! Try a couple of these tips and you’ll be ready to take on your next creative journey.

Disclaimer: I experienced a quick bout of writer’s block while crafting this blog post – so I took my own advice! In the famous words of Charles Bukowski, “writing about a writer’s block is better than not writing at all.”