Employees in the marketing, creative, and professional services are the most likely to face mental blocks at work. A healthy work culture can help creative employees overcome mental blocks and maintain high productivity, engagement, and morale.

The most common mental blocks causes are:

Mental exhaustion: Having to make too many decisions within a short time can be exhausting, leading to mental blocks.
Lack of sleep: Having little to no sleep makes you prone to mental blocks.
Poor nutrition: Poor nutrition causes mental blocks. For example, vitamin B12 deficiency can cause depression and memory loss leading to mental blocks.
Medication: Mental blocks may occur as a side-effect of prescription medications.
Procrastination: Procrastination can lead to anxiety, which in turn causes mental blocks.
Cluttered work environment: Cluttered or chaotic work environments may make it difficult to get into a productive mind frame.
Impostor syndrome: Impostor syndrome, or the feeling that you’re inadequate or incapable at work, is a common cause of mental blocks.
Perfectionism: Perfectionism can lead to procrastination, self-doubt, and mental blocks.
Pessimism: A negative outlook causes mental blocks. If you believe you have no chance of success, you may become unmotivated.
How to get over a mental block
If you find yourself facing a mental block at work, there are many ways to improve your focus and output. The list below is not an exhaustive account of how to get over a mental block but details some of the easiest ways to do so.

One of the best ways to get over a mental block at work is to break down your projects into smaller tasks and activities. If you’re overwhelmed by the project’s size or how much you have left to do, ease into making progress by tackling the smallest possible tasks first. Wrike’s collaboration workspace helps you break down your projects using a simple list, table, Kanban board, or Gantt chart.

If your work environment is cluttered, your mind may be cluttered as well. The cleanliness of your workspace can affect your thinking and performance at work. An organized desk helps you find and reach your tools without interrupting your flow.

If you’ve tried unsuccessfully to work through a mental block, the next best thing you can do is take a break. Try some unrelated activities like solving a crossword, washing dishes, or talking to a friend. Breaks help to reset your mind and connect the dots. You could even take a nap to allow your subconscious to work through the mental block.

Most times, mental blocks are caused by getting stuck in your thinking about an issue or project. Exposing yourself to new ideas gives you different perspectives and solutions for your work. Try reading articles, talking to others, and doing some research online. You can also get over mental blocks by using templates to guide and outline your work. Wrike’s creative brief template, for example, helps creative professionals and agencies set expectations, define project goals, and start projects on the right foot.

If you pay attention to your inner monologue, you’ll notice the thought patterns that block your progress – fear, perfectionism, impostor syndrome, or even a combination of several emotions. When you know what these thought patterns are, you can tackle them. Exercising, meditating, and journaling are great ways to become more mindful and control your inner chatter.

Feeling inadequate is one of the main reasons why people experience mental blocks. If you feel unprepared for a project, you should take time to research, learn, and practice. Over time, you’ll get comfortable enough to overcome mental blocks and perform better at work.

A daily schedule can help you reduce stress. Knowing what you have to do, reduces the need for decision-making. In turn, this eases mental fatigue and improves your efficiency. Keeping your work and workspace organized also helps to reduce stress and workplace anxiety.

Compartmentalizing your work and setting early deadlines for critical tasks alleviates the mental blocks that can come from feeling overwhelmed with too much to do. Wrike’s project management tool provides both work and personal spaces for you to organize and schedule tasks alone or with your team.

If you believe you will fail before even starting a project, you may self-sabotage or perform poorly, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. Utilize your fear by preparing for adverse project outcomes, as well as positive ones. When you’re aware of all that can go wrong, you’re better equipped to deal with it, especially in the project planning stage.

Resting is one of the best ways to maintain mental health and overcome blocks. Getting a regular 7-9 hours of sleep every night keeps your mind sharp and ready. If you push yourself relentlessly, your exhausted brain will throw up mental blocks.