Battling severe designer's block!

[anytimeflowers]

:treadonme

I've watched archives of ubloom, I've flipped though back issues of Florist's Review, Flowers&, and even looked at websites although it's really hard to find anything different, so many are the same. Even sites that are not affiliated with ws look same-ol-same-ol to me.

Absolutely nothing is inspiring me or challenging me. Is it just because of burn-out from May? Is anybody else suffering from it?

How do I shake myself out of this apathy?

Any advice would be appreciated - I run my store by myself so there is no back-up to have something different in the cooler, and the cooler is starting to look like a clone machine!

Thanks,
Linda

 

[lori042499]

It will pass...I bet coming out to symposium will cure all that...

 

[rewolf]

Yes, I agree with Lori. Was going to say get out of your vacuum and maybe take a class but the symposium will spark the fire again for you.
Lately I've had the same feelings but about weddings. It seems to be the same thing over and over again that the brides want and it has become too formula for me, my flame is burning out and I feel guilty about it. I struggle with the same issues as you - finding things that inspire me and how can I be more creative today than I was yesterday.
I know it will pass and if it doesn't, then I take that as a sign to move on...

 

[BOSS]

Absolutely nothing is inspiring me or challenging me. Is it just because of burn-out from May? Is anybody else suffering from it?

How do I shake myself out of this apathy?

You're not alone.... the only thing that works for me is fishing.... leaving Wednesday for a week~!

 

[anytimeflowers]

You're not alone.... the only thing that works for me is fishing.... leaving Wednesday for a week~!

Boss, have a GREAT time! That's too funny, I just blogged and it had to do with fishing. Here it is https://www.any-timeflowers.com/blog/

 

[Palms]

Linda it sounds to me like you need time out, that refreshes my mind and makes me all inspired again. I dont know what the symposium is like but if it is anything like the trade shows here with demos and stuff, it can be enough to re-inspire.

Also, going out of town and just visiting other florist shops can give you ideas, not even just with design, even with the layout of the shop. Anything just to get you in the mood... You could perhaps get an english magazine or european one which may look a lot different to what you are used to. If you need help doing this, i would be happy to help.

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

Yeah, me too,

Except, I'm having floral businness block. Really starting to wonder why I'm still in this business.
Something good needs to happen, and soon.

Here's the sucky part- We are literaly over 90% of last years sales already this year, but every single day seems like a struggle. So sick of it. I need to go work at a super successful shop that doesn't need "fixing"
I think I just want to design, and not manage anymore. Or have my own shop or business of some sort. I know it will still be a struggle if I had my own, just it would be MY struggle instead of someone else's.

But really, I want to just make $20/ hour just designing and not worring about EVERYTHING else!

 

[lori042499]

Me too Shannon, I think I may want to start a family and just work...Maybe I will hand it off to God, stop using birth control and let it happen, then decide how to go from there!

But I am more inspired than ever to be creative, not sure why, probably because of the 2 year mental vacation I took from myself...

 

[Sprout]

I can sometimes spark my creativity by giving creative types, who work with things other than flowers, the opportunity to come mess around with flowers at my shop. They play, with no thought at all to "Will this sell?", and are so thrilled to be given a new media, that you can't help but see your same old stuff differently. It can be so invigorating to just play with flower materials, just for fun, and not worry about whether your customers will love it.

 

[concord]

Linda, You just need a vacation. May is exhausting. I was just @@@@@ing to a florist friend about working late all the time and how tired I am . Then she told me about what 's going on in her life and it put my burn out in perspective.
Soon we'll all be complaining about how slow it is! I still think we need to organize a foreign exchange program in the summer where we all trade shops for a week! Hope to see you when you come to Boston.

 

[Spookyflowers]

I'm having a block too must be the month of May everything looks the same to me. Been over 6 weeks since I had a full day away from the shop. Proms in April and now its just May with "everything" going on in this wild month. Looked yesterday and had not put checks in the computer for 7 weeks love the business but it seems somethings in my shop just seem to get put on the back burner and not sure I can ever get caught up.

 

[RWK]

When I am suffering from designer block, I fall back on the classic, the tried and true, pattern design until I find something to bring back the spark.

 

[lori042499]

I think that in these busy days of May we tend to go to what we know best and create fast, just to get it done...I know that after most holidays and extended busy times I feel like I can't get out of the rut of the same old same old, then I rest and it all comes flowing back once I realize the rush and craziness is over and I can think about things more rather than just sell and pump out the work...

 

[conchandler]

Soon we'll all be complaining about how slow it is! I still think we need to organize a foreign exchange program in the summer where we all trade shops for a week! Hope to see you when you come to Boston.

Wow, Helen, that's a great idea! My shop could sure use someone else's touch.

 

[Flowerchatter03]

We all need a vacation! I have had only one day off this entire month and I don't remember April! LOL When you own your own business, then it's not just the designing....it's the paying of the bills, restocking, dealing with customers, ordering flowers and supplies, cleaning the cooler and compressor, taxes, insurance, the car needs an oil change oh and now it needs tires and the bulbs in the sign are burnt out, so and so doesn't want to work this summer, blah blah blah!

I'm going away this weekend and digging for gems in North Carolina! Just need to get away and not think about this place right now.

If you cant get away for a few days, maybe take a class in something you have never done before like water aerobics or ceramics. Something that has nothing to do with flowers, fresh, potted, nor silk!

 

[Spookyflowers]

You are so right about owning your own business. People don't understand what we all do they think we play with flowers all day long that is not the case at all. I have not had a day off in over 2 months and it is starting to take its toll.
I'd need to find the time to take a class and that isn't happening either I can see. Just looked and thought the 4th of July would be a good time to get away for a couple of days its on a Sunday so much for that idea.

 

[anytimeflowers]

Thanks everybody. I kept thinking "well, that's it then". People are always asking me where I come up with my ideas and I really don't have an answer. But I thought I'd finally reached the end of the creative line.

After reading all of this,I decided you guys are right. I AM just tired, and got MORE tired reading flowerchatter's post!

I just went and hung signs on the doors. Memorial Holiday Hours. Sat 9-noon, Sun & Mon. CLOSED. (unless any funerals pop up)

I already feel a couple of ideas popping up!

 

[OB1]

Everybody suffers from creative block sometimes. And different things work work for different people.
When I am totally blocked, it's often because of exhaustion. So first things first. You need some sleep.
Then try to get rid of the backed up tasks that a small business owner must deal with. I find if I organize all my tasks, and attack one a day, or more if a I can, I begin to feel better, as my desk cleans up.
Then, I take as long as I can steal, (an hour, two hours, a day) and find a place in my secret spot where I can go and be completely alone with nature, and feel the moss under my bare feet, the dappled sun on my skin; I lie down under the trees where I cannot hear any humans...soon I start to relax, and as I become human again, all those gifts I was born with, and born to use, somehow just come back.
Don't worry, Linda, it's still in there. You're just too jammed up with other junk to feel it.
Try to let go of all the problems, even just for a day, and let your spirit recieve all the great stuff nature will give you.
JP

 

[lori042499]

Joanne, that is all so true...I find that when I tackle some of the mundane things in my life. I find it easier to relax and come to a point where I can be myself again...You really are good at putting things into descriptive words..

 

[concord]

You are so right about owning your own business. People don't understand what we all do they think we play with flowers all day long that is not the case at all. I have not had a day off in over 2 months and it is starting to take its toll.
I'd need to find the time to take a class and that isn't happening either I can see. Just looked and thought the 4th of July would be a good time to get away for a couple of days its on a Sunday so much for that idea.

Just do yourself a favor and be closed July 3, 4 and 5th anyway. Sometimes you just gotta have a break for your sanity!