As design professionals, one of our greatest assets is our creativity; our ability to come up with fresh, fun, and interesting concepts. In fact, a strong imagination is often one of the traits that leads us to pursue a career in design. Because of this, it can be upsetting or even downright scary when we attempt to tap into our creativity only to find that it has dried up!


What is Creative Burnout?

Creative burnout can manifest itself in different ways, and it can vary greatly from one person to the next. You might feel stuck in a rut, overwhelmed, or unable to get started. You might just feel exhausted and incapable for doing work that normally comes easily to you. It is also common to feel bored, irritable, depressed and tired, to lose your temper easily. You may have more frequent headaches or stomachaches, and even lose interest in things that you normally enjoy.

Worst of all, you are probably beating yourself up for feeling that way by asking yourself "what in the world is wrong with me?" and compounding the problem by adding feelings of guilt or despair on top of everything else.


What Causes Creative Burnout

Creativity is a very personal thing, and creative energy is unique to every individual. We draw our energy from our personal life experiences, values, and feelings... essentially from who we are. Our creative energy can be compared to a rechargeable battery: we draw from it constantly, but it only recharges slowly. We have to be careful not to drain that battery completely, or we will be stuck with virtually no energy until we give it time to recharge itself.

Many designers have full time "day jobs" and work a full week, then go home and work on freelance projects for their own businesses. It can be hard to say "no" to work, and sometimes we try to tackle too much at once. When that happens, we end up working very long hours to meet our deadlines, first sacrificing our time "off" (our hobbies and recreation) and then even cutting into the time we should be sleeping.

Unfortunately, by doing so we draw constantly on our creativity without giving it a chance to replenish itself; we take all of the energy out without taking the time to put any back in. When that happens, it is only a matter of time until we come up dry.


How to Recharge Your Creativity

Just as the causes for burnout are different for each of us, the solutions can be unique to every individual. Ideally, the first thing to do is to step away from your computer! You need to give yourself a break – even if it is only a short one – to get yourself back on track.

Find support. Sometimes it is helpful just to talk about the problem with someone who understands. A coworker, friend, or mentor can offer encouragement and ideas to help you get back on track. The simple act of talking to someone about the way you're feeling can help to clear your head.

Change something. Rearrange your office, move your desk, put paperwork and clutter away. Get a houseplant, or a piece of art for your wall. A change to your surroundings can change the way you think.

Feed your mind. Inspiration can come from many places. Take a few hours to go to a museum or zoo, to spend some time outdoors, or to look through books, magazines or websites for something to get you motivated. Study work that you love and work that you hate, and think about what you would do differently. This is a simple way to rediscover motivation!

Indulge yourself. Go to a movie. Spend some time with your friends and family. Go for a walk. Treat yourself to your favorite meal. Read a book. Work in your garden. Watch your favorite movie. Play a video game. Find something to make you laugh! Just do something to relax your mind and make yourself feel good. You may be surprised at how much more productive you can be when some of the tension is gone.

Exercise. This is especially important when you have been working long hours at the computer. Go for a walk, a jog, a swim, or a bike ride. Go to the gym. Play basketball, or volleyball, or tennis, or softball. I have always found physical exercise immensely helpful in clearing the mind. Fresh air and endorphins are rejuvenating!

Get enough sleep. Sure, you have a lot to do... and you're going to be more efficient and more productive if you're rested than you will be if you're not. When you're tired, you are more prone to stress and you will probably end up spending your energy worrying about what there is to be done than actually doing what needs to be done.

Forgive yourself. This is something that happens to all creatives from time to time. Don't beat yourself up, feel guilty, or doubt your abilities. Berating yourself is only going to make you feel worse. Save your energy for something constructive instead!

Creative burnout strikes all of us at one time or another. Accept it for what it is - a temporary setback - and do what you have to do to get back on track. Others have struggled with it and overcome it, and you can, too. Take a deep breath, refocus your energy, and take care of yourself. It will get better.