Maybe it's the presentation you can't seem to start. The playlist you used to make every Friday that's now sitting untouched. The daily walk that felt like meditation and now feels like a chore you can't bring yourself to do. A cancer diagnosis can quiet the creative parts of your brain that write, compose, move, design, and problem-solve. Whether you're working through treatment, returning to work after time off or looking for a new job, that creative shutdown can be challenging. A recent article in Fast Company walks us through some steps to try to get "unstuck".

Notice Where the Challenge StartsBefore you can get unstuck, it helps to notice where you are in the process. Are you still in the idea phase, where things feel foggy and undefined and you just need a little more time to let a thought take shape? Or have you already got the idea, but the follow-through — the deadlines, the structure, the doing — feels impossible right now? Knowing where the challenge is can help you then strategize. If the follow-through is a challenge, sit down and think through the small steps you need to take to achieve what you need to do. Seeing the steps clearly laid out and checking them off one-by-one can help get through the brainfog many people experience as a side-effect of treatment. If still in the idea phase, can you take a break? Clearing your head with a walk, a meal or even just a trip to the kitchen to refill your water can provide the distraction you need so you can come back to your work with a clearer mind. Another approach you can take is...

Don't Worry About Perfection and Just Get Something OutOne of the most common reasons creative energy stalls is the pressure to get it right the first time. This can feel especially challenging when energy and focus are already limited. Give yourself permission to treat whatever you're working on as a rough draft instead of a finished product. A rough version of a report is still progress. A journal entry that doesn't say what you meant is still processing. A ten-minute walk that isn't your old five-mile route still counts. "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of good". You can always go back and edit or refine something. Also don't be afraid to lean on co-workers and/or your supervisor to proof-read or offer constructive feedback. 

Finishing something isn't giving up — it's taking care of yourselfAt some point, you have to decide something is done, even if it isn't exactly what you pictured. That can feel like a small defeat, especially if you're used to holding yourself to a certain standard at work. But closing a loop — submitting the project as is, stepping away from the painting for the week, calling the workout finished after fifteen minutes instead of forty-five — isn't surrender. It's what allows you to rest, recharge, and come back to the next task with something left in the tank. 

If you're navigating a creative or professional block after a diagnosis, Cancer and Careers has resources built for exactly this moment. Explore our At Work articles for guidance on managing side effects and other challenges, ask questions to a career coach, or browse our free publications.