Have you ever been stuck on one chapter when writing a book? Yes, you're having writer's block, which is also a mental block.

Do you have a lot of incomplete projects you abandoned because you can't complete them? Yes? That's a mental block.

Have you ever forgotten a friend's name? Opened software and forgot what you wanted to do on it? All these are examples of mental blocks. We can't think of how to get rid of a mental block without understanding what a mental block is.

What is a Mental Block

According to Wikipedia, a mental block is the uncontrollable suppression or repressing of painful or unwanted thoughts or memories. It is the inability to continue or complete a train of thought. Mental blocks are invisible barriers standing in the way of your productivity. Now that that is understood, we can see why we have mental blocks.

Reasons Why We Have Mental Blocks

Pressure: The brain is like a computer but prone to more crashes than a computer. Yes, the computer can run different tasks simultaneously, but imagine running twenty big jobs on a computer with a deadline of thirty minutes.

The computer might not crash, but the system would be hot. If not in an airy area and handled correctly, it might crack. The same goes for the brain.

Since the brain is prone to more errors and is not exactly a computer, if the brain is being pressured by procrastination, overthinking, or feeling overwhelmed, it's sure to crash. Mental blocks are what occur when the brain crashes.

Stress: Another grave reason for the mental block is stress and fatigue. When the brain is stressed, it can crash, and mental blocks would, of course, occur. The brain can be stressed by overthinking, overworking, and lack of sleep.

Fear: I'm very sure you are thinking, fear? How? If you are scared, you tend to overthink things.

Fear most times leads to the problem of perfectionism, which can lead to pressure and stress on the brain because t,o you, it's not perfect! This can lead to mental blocks.

Other times it's the impostor syndrome; you feel you are not meant to be in that position and incapable of holding it.

This can lead to anxiety and procrastination, which leads to pressure on the brain and mental blocks.

Ways To Get Rid of Mental Blocks

Change Scenery

Yes, some jobs require you to sit behind a desk and type all day, but you must change scenery when experiencing a mental block. Recent studies have proven that your environment affects how you think, whether positive or negative.

So, whenever you witness a mental block in the office, go to the lounge and continue working, or go to your friend's office and continue working.

Sleep is not an Option

After a whole day's work, the brain has to rest. As humans, we are expected to sleep for at least six hours. This helps reduce the brain's stress and prepare it for another day's work. Sleep is not an option, and neither should it be seconded. A proper sleep schedule would help to reduce mental blocks.

We All Need A Break

Please don't be too hard on yourself; sometimes, we must take a break. Breaks help to clear your mind and connect your thoughts, the perfect solution to a mental block, right?

Break Down The Project

There is pressure. A lot needs to be done, and the deadline is near; break it down. It's always good to break down projects into smaller and easier bits. This helps reduce procrastination which helps to relieve pressure and stress on the brain that, once again, reduces mental block.

Scribble

The best means of expression is writing. Write out whatever is on your mind. Sometimes just scribbling helps to decrease the pressure on the brain and clear the mind.

Mind blocks are inevitable; no one can escape them. It's not all about having a mental block and being unproductive. It's about how you deal with the mental blocks. Don't let a mental block stop you from completing that book you've been writing for the past six months or that project you just had to cancel because you couldn't go on.

Finally, practice makes perfect, and consistency is key, so be consistent and practice.