I don’t know what to write about this week. Usually, I think about what I could write for the blog as I’m doing the laundry or cooking and ideas start fizzing. But this week, I got nothing. Zero, zilch, rien – as we say in French. My brain is empty, like a dark screen that I just stare at blankly, with no thoughts filtering up.

My creative brain is decidedly uninspired at the moment. It could be due to a number of factors: my constant tiredness, my anxiety, my depression, overworking, 24/7 caring for grandma who is still ill, or the fact that it is dark and miserable all the time where I live. I can usually muster up an idea despite all those things so I’m not sure why I can’t this week.

I have to find a way to get myself inspired again. Being creative, be it at work with story ideas or writing this blog is an important outlet for me. It gets me excited and my brain loves to focus on a problem or a project I can get immersed in to find a creative answer to it.

I’ll have to go back to basics to get my creativity back. I have a few a tricks up my sleeve:

• Music: I listen to everything from gospel (I’m not religious, I just love the voices and the hope they sing about) to the sharp-witted Australian songwriter and comedian Tim Minchin. I listen to music while I work, it helps me focus and I marvel at the beauty of my favourite singers’ voices.
• Podcasts: I listen to a wide range of them while I’m walking, from silly shows like Hamish & Andy to more serious ones like The Rest Is Politics, I’m really enjoying The Rest is History show at the moment. They all make me think (or laugh) and that is usually good to get my inspiration juices flowing.
• Documentaries: When grandma is having her post lunch nap on a Sunday afternoon and I’ve done all the housework, I like to put on a documentary. Something that sparks my interest, I’m lucky that I’m naturally curious so I find most things interesting. Maybe that’s what I’m missing this week, I’ve not had time to get curious about something.
• Hiking: Getting out on the moors has become a must for me at weekends. It is beautiful up there and a brisk hike helps me reset my brain.
• A good chat: As a carer, it is more difficult for me to find the time to have those. I always leave re-energised after I’ve a spoken to a friend.

None of those things are groundbreaking, they’re just more difficult to do when you’re a carer. It is so easy to forgo all the things I listed in favour of the endless list of tasks I have to do, to completely drain myself of any inspiration and totally surrender to the darkness . That’s why it is so important to get back into some of those habits.

I think I’ll listen to some gospel while I answer my many work emails, try to find some joy and inspiration for the next blog.