How to Crush Creative Burnout Right Now

Life as a creative takes it’s toll. If you create anything – you’re a creative. Nobody can take that away from you, except you. We all undergo feelings of imposer syndrome, self-doubt and those annoying times we listen to the wrong types of critics. Some days, the creative juices just aren’t flowing. We can hit our limit, creatively, and it can feel like the worst hangover ever.

It can be particularly stressful if you make your living creatively. I mean, “how am I going to pay the bills” can be a serious concern for many creatives. Luckily, there are ways to beat creative burnout! Want to get over your slump and get creative again? Keep reading!

Take Breaks Throughout the Year

Look, we all need to decompress. Yes, even creatives. We don’t have an endless stream of creative consciousness pouring out of our fingertips. Just like everybody else, in every other career, we need breaks. 

To avoid creative burnout, make sure you are scheduling breaks throughout your year. Plan vacations – even “staycations” if you don’t have the funds. Give yourself time to be inspired without looking for it. 

Also, make sure that you’re enjoying your weekends – (whatever “weekends” look like for you).

For me, the strongest inspiration always comes when I’m not necessarily looking for it. Have those moments where this can happen for you. It’s a great way to crush creative burnout before it hits.

Hobbies, Hobbies, HOBBIES

I meet so many people who have absolutely no hobbies outside of their job. This is insane to me! Hobbies are one of the healthiest activities we can have. As a creative, having a hobby that is creative in nature is going to prevent creative burnout and can be used as an outlet to crush creative burnout if and when it hits.

Some creative hobby ideas: (in addition to your job as a creative)

• Sketching
• Writing
• Painting
• Sculpting
• Woodworking
• Knitting
• Crafting
• Graphic Design
• Photography
• Playing an Instrument

Have Multiple Projects

I’ve heard a lot of creatives say that this is a bad idea and for you, it might be. But, for me, having multiple projects going at the same time is one of my greatest weapons for crushing creative burnout.

Lose your focus completely on one project? Simply work on another one. Hell, START another one. You’ll be surprised at just how much a “reboot” can do for you, creatively.

Track your Experiences

I firmly believe that there is inspiration in everything, if you look for it. Even if you don’t think there is inspiration in something right at this very moment, there may be inspiration in a specific experiences years from today.

Writing down your experiences can be a great way to store inspiration. It can be used to crush creative burnout in the future.

Experiences are part of who we are. Good or bad. There IS inspiration there, and often times, a source of motivation.

Try Stepping Outside of your Comfort Zone, Literally

During my worst periods of creative burnout, I found that working somewhere else really helped. I always work at my desk, in my house and sometimes the lack of change, (I believe), has actually caused me to burnout creatively.

Try working on a project in a place where you aren’t necessarily comfortable. Take your tools and head outside. Move around until you find a place where that creative energy starts flowing again.

Ignore Criticism and Advice from the Wrong People

Some of us take criticism harder than others. I’m one of them. One day, it hit me – Why am I, as a writer, listening to criticism from people who neither read nor write?

It was a freaking epiphany. A lot of times when I was suffering from creative burnout, I was able to trace it back to harsh words from people I shouldn’t have been listening to. They don’t read. They don’t write. Why the f*ck was I worried about what they were saying?

As a creative, NEVER listen to advice from a person who doesn’t absorb the very thing you create. Their opinion is literally meaningless. Harsh words are always going to burn but only let the ones from the right people leave a sting. 

Believe you can Crush Creative Burnout – Take Action

I say it all the time but I’ll say it again – without a plan of action, you’re just wallowing in your own bullshit. Believe in yourself, get your mindset right and make a plan of action.

Seriously, you can crush creative burnout. Go do it.