Strategies to Avoid Burnout

Avoid Artistic Burnout.

I have been an art jeweler for 25 years and these are some of my strategies for coping with feeling burned out.

Sometimes we find ourselves stuck in a creative funk and no matter what we do, we just can’t escape that nagging feeling that no one out there is going to notice or care if we paint another picture, create a new design, or throw a new vase.

Creative burnout is entirely survivable. We all have those days but by developing or creating strategies that motivate us we can find our energy again.

So what do you do when you find yourself drowning in the quicksand of creative confusion – some easy changes may help.

#1 Leave the Room: Sometimes a change of scenary can help you escape the creative rut.

#2 Work on more than on project: Give yourself an alternative while being productive.

#3 Create Some Space for Yourself - Unstructured free time gives us the opportunity to take a deep breath, let our imagination wander, and explore the world around us.

#4 Scream: I always feel better after I’ve yelled at the top of my lungs – it is fun to yell ordinary words (I HATE COMPUTERS or Aaaaaaagggh!)

#5 You’re Not Alone: Even today in a world that is more socially connected than ever, we can feel isolated and alone especially when we are feeling creatively uninspired. Reach out to a friend, tell your truth and be receptive to others advice.

#6 Break it into smaller pieces: Sometimes a task is overwhelming in its entirety but a start, any start is the right path to completing the whole.

#7. Try an unfamiliar tool or experimenting with a new technique: shake things up and begin to see things from a new perspective.

#8 Sleep and Exercise: You already know that these are connected to how we feel - no lecture here just a suggestion that this may be an easy solution!