I've had a terrible few weeks with no creative output.

I was burned out, anxious, and unable to work on anything related to my creative practice. I'm just about seeing the other side of this burnout but I know it will happen again. I want to be able to manage this going forward so when it strikes I can accept it, deal with it, and move on.

So I'm writing this to my future self as much as I'm writing to you, dear reader, to share my perspective and advice on creative burnout and how to focus on self-care.

Signs Of Burnout

1. Always trying to fill your mental space with something - You can't just watch TV, you have to also be scrolling Twitter. You can't just sit an enjoy a cup of coffee, you also have to listen to a podcast or watch a video.

2. Overdoing it on social media - You infinitely scroll all available social media platforms every chance you get.

3. Feeling pressure to create or always be working on something - You feel like you need to be chained to your computer to get stuff done. This results in headaches and an inability to do creative work.

4. Stress and anxiety become too much - Things get overwhelming and take up a lot of your headspace which results in stress and anxiety which further reduces your ability to be creative.

5. You're not leaving the house - You know when you're stuck in the house all day you're not feeling your best.

Self-Care Steps

1. Practice focusing on 1 thing at a time and remember this throughout the day. Try sitting and drinking a coffee without watching a YouTube video. Try watching TV without opening your phone.

2. Set up limits on social media - Your phone allows you to set time limits on different apps. Remove social media apps from your phone to limit the urge to reach for your phone. Limit social media to your computer.

3. Find ways to work that are away from the computer. Is there anything you can do in an analog way? Can you move some of your work to a different device like a tablet so you can work outside or in a coffee shop?

4. Put things into perspective - Take a step back and remember your creative practice is something you do for fun as an escape from your day job. Reframe it as "I get to do" rather than "I have to do".

5. Prioritize exercise - Go for a walk or run or try skipping with a skipping rope.

Bonus Step: Create a self-care list. A list of fun things you can do when you're feeling low. P.S. I welcome any ideas you have for this list 🙂