Failing to fight the creative burnout you are feeling? We have all been there; while some have come out of that dark shadow, some are still stuck. As a creative, there will be many moments in your journey when it all feels too much. Somewhere along the line, you will feel like you have no more stories to tell; all will feel bland. Trust me, a lot of others have gone through the same thing.
Getting out of that funk is not the easiest of things. You will deal with your inner voice whispering to you to give up and let it all go. Funny, many of my blogging friends are going through moments where they decide whether sharing their inner thoughts with the world is still viable or if it is time to take a bow and roll down the curtains.
Every creative will agree that there’s nothing more scary than feeling like you have no story to tell. Or feeling like your voice does not matter anymore. We lie that our voices do not matter to the readers we have worked so hard to accumulate. However, we are battling with our inner selves whether that voice that we shared ever so passionately matters anymore to you. We blame the decision on those who consume our craft to make it easier.
creative burnout: taking a break vs. giving up
Usually, when we are going through such moments, we decide to take a break and take a breath to clear our minds. That break goes from one week to a month, then two, and next thing you know, a whole year has passed. At that point, you should realize that you are giving up.
I have noticed over the past two years that I kept lying to myself that I was taking a break when, in actual sense, I was giving up. As creatives, we sometimes do not want to be frank that our time is up and that we must find other avenues to express ourselves. So, we shamelessly hold on to the hope that our minds might unlock and help us create again.
when is the right time to take a break?
The right time to take a break is when you look at your empty canvas, and your brain won’t come up with anything. This is different for any creative. As a blogger, you will open a new draft and look at the empty screen in front of you for hours and not know what to write, even if you have the topic at the tip of your fingers.
Sometimes, you will feel like your life has no substance anymore. You will think you need newer experiences, adventures, and anything to unlock your storytelling prowess. And while sometimes, this might help, I have learned that it is often not the case.
Usually, something in your life is not being addressed that locks you in the dark. The mind is a tricky avenue; you might go through something thinking it is insignificant and could hardly change anything around you. However, somewhere in there, it will mess up the flow of your creativity. That is how it works sometimes.
So, when you feel like you cannot create anymore, try taking a break and looking within yourself. Try to resolve these little issues; it might just free your creative juices.
However, one of the most important things about taking a break is that it needs to be timed. I have always found a flaw in the saying, “Take as long as you can.” Taking as long as you can sets you back sometimes, and I could be wrong. These are my sentiments.
But like any other offseason, you need to know when the holiday is over and to put your brain to work again. The problem with taking as long as you can is sometimes it never lasts. In your mind, you compensate yourself by telling yourself that you are taking the much-needed break that you need. Before you know it, you have lost your creative identity, and finding that always proves challenging.
how to effectively fight creative burnout
This is the question that I see a lot of bloggers ask in creative spaces. There is always a hint of desperation to eliminate this nauseating feeling that blocks our minds from doing what we love and are passionate about. Here are a few things that have worked for me and a few tips I have learned from others around me.
1. do not fight it
One of the mistakes I would make previously was to pretend that my mind was blocked or that I was burned out. I would push myself to write even when my whole being was fighting against it. Often, you do not notice the mediocrity of the work you publish in that period; you pat yourself on the back for attempting.
Honestly, take a break and breathe. Sometimes, that is all our minds are asking: to live and return to things with a clear mind.
2. live life a little
Other times, you truly need to experience life and find something to spark your creativity. Creators are like dementors; we feed off energies and lives to create intriguing work. It is essential that you go out and see the life around you, socialize with fellow creatives, and you could find a new outlook on your work.
3. try something new
One of the reasons we have creative burnout is because our work becomes predictable. Work becomes boring when it is predictable in whatever industry you are in. Having to wake up and feel like you are doing everything over and over like you are in a loop, can be exhausting. Once now and then, do something new.
If you are strict with a niche, you could try something new for your eyes only, but the thing is to make sure you keep things interesting to make you want to work every day.
4. figure out if your art is your job
When starting in the creative industry, we often fulfill a hobby. With time, a few people notice your talent and give you a gig or two to run. Before you know it, you are chasing gigs based on your art. What we fail to establish is the boundary between our passion and work.
We lie to ourselves that we are creating art based on passion alone when it has transformed into work. In this case, if it has become a job, you need to start treating it as such and create boundaries that resonate with it.
5. fall in love with your work again
Sometimes, you only need to reflect on your old work to remind yourself how amazing you are. Creative burnout will make you insecure about your work, but constantly reminding yourself of your prowess can quickly bring you back in line.
So read that article you are proud of, or look at the painting, listen to the song, whatever spectrum of art you belong to, and tell yourself you are the baddest ever to do it.
If you are currently feeling like you are burned out, I hope these five tips can help you through it. Have more tips? Please share them in the comment section below.