Welcome to the adult world, where a creative burnout is not a myth, and when it hits you - it hits you hard. It’s this state, in which your creative process flows into a dead end. The ideas run out of your head, like rats from a sinking ship, and your inspiration officially becomes listed as missing. Without reserve, a creative burnout is not just a temporary lack of inspiration and motivation, it affects individuals on a deeper level by draining their personal purpose of doing something. When in a creative burnout stage, everything seems senseless and dull, you feel psychologically tired and physically exhausted - incapable of pulling yourself together and getting things going as per usual.
The good news is that we all have experienced it, whether you're a beginning freelancer or the creative director of a big agency. Luckily, there is always a break in the clouds. The quicker you will understand how to clear out your mind, the faster you will be back on your A game, balance your amount of work, and hail up with creative and unprecedented ideas.
8 Ways In Overcoming A Creative Burnout
Following are a few tricks to overcoming a creative burnout – from choosing the right creative direction, to creating an imaginary friend. Keep reading!
1. Change Your Work Schedule
Destroy your routine. Yes, it’s true that many famous artists had a clear daily routine: Stephen King, Leonardo da Vinci, Friedrich Nietzsche and others. However, they managed to ritualize the process of their work. The structure that they have found or have set for themselves, helped them dive into a special state of mind. If you sit down every day, at 10 o'clock in the morning, in front of your computer/desk/canvas and in a couple of hours nothing meaningful appears, it means that you haven’t found your ideal creative routine yet. You need to continue experimenting in this area. In addition to changing your work schedule, consider tweaking other areas as well. For example, a deviation from your usual work plan or a new location. Test out all the possible variations and see what works for you best.
2. Bring the Noise
According to a study, a moderate noise level not only does not interfere with work and creativity, but even has a positive effect on the process and overall results. But who needs just plain noise? Pay attention to the sounds that you really love and if it’s possible - turn them on while you work. Fortunately, the recorded sounds on YouTube are incredibly broad: from a simple sound of the waves to the sound of ringing Tibetan bowls. Which is your favorite?
3. Set Achievable Goals
Set realistic goals and make sure that in this way you challenge yourself. It can be a simple task, as part of the next big step - so you won't feel overwhelmed by the whole load. Small daily or weekly steps are easier to achieve and help you build up your confidence and drive for improvement and new experiments. Reward yourself, and praise yourself for achieving those little things, and you’ll be done with your big challenges in no time. Keep hustling and ticking off those tasks and projects.
4. Examine Your Poorest Piece of Work
The poorest photo-shoot. The poorest web design project. The poorest writing piece. The poorest editing process. Poorest anything. What do you feel when you stare at it? Does it make you angry? Does it irritate or frustrate you? What can you do with this emotion? Can you redirect it and create something better? If yes - do it, if not - skip to the next point.
5. Cease Being Afraid of Failure
The fear of errors paralyzes, and many of us know it firsthand. Fear of failure generates within us the "inner censor" that blocks our “creator”, reminding of the risks and potential mistakes, pushing us to stay on the safe, boring side. To overcome this "inner censor" we have to kill it right away. Otherwise you risk spending a lifetime doing mediocre things.
6. Take a Break to Travel
Travel has always been known as one of the most straightforward and deep - rooted ways of feeding and rejuvenating the soul. Voyaging across countries, places and cultures you have never experienced before, puts a mark on you, it broadens your worldview. Even if it is just for the weekend - take a break and let yourself absorb everything around. You never know when you see and feel inspired by something you experience. You will come back different, every single time.
7. Cut Yourself Some Slack
We are all guilty of putting too much on our plate at times, for criticizing and feeling not good enough about ourselves. Ease up. Don't be so hard on yourself. Get some quality sleep, binge watch some of your favorite shows, read good books. Get some spa treatments, do nothing for a day and rest. Your body and soul will thank you for putting yourself in the first place and taking some time to recharge and analyze your current situation. Give yourself a break, and accept that you are awesome just as you are.
8. Meditate
Meditation is the most ancient technique into clearing out the mind from the clutter of thoughts. Practice it every morning before you get onto your work and chores, or right before bed. We promise it will have a huge impact on your flow of thoughts and your general state of being. If you are troubled where to start, here is a self-explanatory guide into meditation for beginners.
Finally, just rediscover your passion. Remember why you started in the first place, and let it blossom. Define clearly what you want to achieve, what is your final goal and how your small daily activities bring you closer to it. For all that, remember to enjoy the journey and don’t focus too much on the destination. It’s perfectly fine to live your moments heart and soul. Get into as many small and big passions, small and big purposes, as you crave for. Just don’t forget that you don’t need to find a whole forest, to be able to enjoy the trees. Also, love and be kind to yourself!
Squaremuse Team.