How to Avoid Burnout as a Creative Business Owner
For creatives, the typical work day can look a little different than that of your corporate friends. Making your passion your career is the ultimate goal of every right-brained person on the planet, and if you’ve been fortunate enough to score a job in your dream creative career, you’re likely excited to wake up every day, open your laptop, and get right to it.
Unfortunately, the flip side of this is the simple fact that creatives, per the very nature of our professions, are less capable of shutting down the “work” side of our brains and relaxing at the end of the day. In every creative industry, there is a strong tendency towards workaholism. And where workaholism exists, there is bound to be burnout.
How do you manage to avoid it? Here are some ideas.
Take frequent breaks.
Working at a desk or in front of a laptop for long stretches of time is not only mentally draining but physically unhealthy. A number of health conditions are associated with a sedentary lifestyle, including increased blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Though we empathize with the difficulty you might face trying to rouse yourself once you’ve entered the flow state, there are many benefits to getting up and moving around throughout the work day. Incorporate practices like stretching, brief guided meditations, and breathing exercises, or use the Pomodoro technique to facilitate a more structured work routine.
Engage with nature.
Creative work, at its core, demands inspiration and self-reflection. Nothing encourages this more than getting outside, where the scenery is refreshingly novel, sensory stimuli is everywhere, and the act of movement is guaranteed to trigger new insights and ideas. Taking a midday walk or playing with your pets in the yard are great ways to invigorate your body, mind, and spirit, but even opening the blinds to let in some natural light throughout the day makes a difference in your productivity and mood.
Turn off your notifications in the evening.
If you’re lucky enough to work a job you love, it stands to reason you’ll feel genuine excitement about your projects. On the other hand, during lean months, it’s easy to fall into panic mode. The majority of creatives can relate to the nagging feeling that you’re simply not doing enough, a feeling that typically leads to you sneakily checking your email during a late-night Hulu binge. This can become a very vicious cycle that disrupts your sleep, increases anxiety, and causes a disconnect between you and your loved ones. Prioritize time with your spouse, children, and friends when you’re not working, silencing all notifications that might disturb you.
Outsource tasks that take up too much of your time and energy.
Even a creative business is still a business, and it should operate as such so that you can actually, you know, pay your bills. This means there are jobs to be done that require you to turn on the more methodical side of your brain: invoicing, payroll, scheduling, client outreach, and the like. If you’re finding yourself working overtime to complete basic admin tasks or you’re spending more time emailing than creating, you’ll undoubtedly benefit from delegating tasks to someone who has the practical experience, know-how, and passion for business.
There’s a reason GDWTR flows so well. We’re an admin business made by and for creatives, a team who understands the unique needs of artists, creators, and visionaries who have pursued the entrepreneurial lifestyle over the corporate world.
