Dealing With Burnout in Creative Fields & Mental Health Check Ins

[Picture Perfect Agency]

Hey creatives!

Whether you're a makeup artist, writer, designer, performer, or you wear all the hats, you've likely felt the sting of burnout. You love what you do, but even passion can run dry when pressure builds.

This thread is your gentle nudge to check in with yourself and maybe even pick up a tip or two from others who get it.

Burnout: What It Looks Like

Constant fatigue, even after rest. If you overdo it, you can leave yourself feeling depleted so even though you've slept or rested you still don't feel like you have any energy. Give yourself some time and allow yourself to have some downtime, relaxation and re-focus.
 
Loss of motivation or joy in your craft. This happens to the best of us. Though we love what we do sometimes we overdo it to the point where it just isn't any fun anymore. Sometimes we just need to take a pause, take some time away from the craft and then remind ourselves why we started with the craft in the first place, what was our goal? What inspired us? Once you remember all the why's it'll be easier to find motivation.

Trouble concentrating or finishing projects. Sometimes we overwhelm ourselves with the amount of work we take on. Another problem that may occur is that when you take your work home with you whether it's editing photos, memorizing lines etc. there can be a lot of distractions at home that may uninspire us or demotivate us. I would strongly suggest having a workstation is that somewhere where you do not get any distractions or lose concentration.

Comparing yourself to others and feeling "behind". I see this happen all too much where people try to keep up with their colleagues or competition so they just over commit, over work and at that point that your work isn't fun or exciting anymore. My suggestion is to only compare yourself to you. As long as you're doing better or improving yourself, you're progressing. When you're comparing yourself to others it isn't fair because you don't know if that other person is getting help or if they have more resources. Maybe they've even been at it longer, so they have found their momentum. Either way, it's good to be aware of your competition but it's not helpful if you're always comparing yourself to other or if you feel like you're behind. Just stay focused on what you've got to do and soon enough you'll feel like you're ahead of what you were when you started.
 
Feeling like your creativity is just... gone. Sometimes when we get clients and we have to work with what they want it kind of sucks out some of the creativity or fun for us. It is really important to remember to find your creativity again whether it's by creating art, writing or acting.

Recognize yourself in any of that? You're not alone. Let's talk about it!

Here are some recharging ideas (That aren't just "sleep more" 😉)

• Low-pressure art sessions just for you

• Listening to music that stirs up good vibes

• Nature walks (or city strolls!) with no agenda

• Creating something bad on purpose just for fun

• Taking a social media detox

• Connecting with a creative friend for a vent + laugh session

Gentle Reminder:
Your worth isn't measured by your productivity. You're allowed to pause. You're allowed to say no. And you're definitely allowed to create at your own pace. It's okay to say no to projects or some work if you just don't have the time for it or it you're just not feeling it. People can feel when you're faking it so don't overcommit yourself when it comes to work and projects.

Check-In Time!
Copy + paste these check-in prompts and share your answers

How are you really feeling lately?

What's one creative thing you wish you had energy for right now?

What helps you feel refreshed or re-inspired?

Do you have a go-to burnout cure (or one you want to try)?

So let's lift each other up—drop your check-in below, share what's been working for you, and send a little encouragement to someone else while you're at it. 💖