6 Ways Creative Freelancers Can Prevent And Treat Burnout
One of the major challenges creative professionals face is burnout. This isn’t news to anyone—creative burnout has been a hot topic for years—but after two years of working through a global pandemic, we’re facing yet another shift: the transition away from the majority of the population working remotely. As a hybrid model of in-person and remote work looms on the horizon, it’s a great opportunity to consider how freelance creatives can avoid burnout in order to stay at the top of our game.
Burnout looks different from person to person, but among creative professionals it generally includes frustration, fatigue, trouble generating new ideas or content, and lack of inspiration. It’s caused by overworking, neglecting work-life balance, and monotony. According to a July 2020 survey by FlexJobs and Mental Health America, 75% of respondents have experienced burnout at some point in their career, and 93% of respondents either agree or strongly agree that workplace stress negatively impacts their mental health.
So, how can creative professionals prevent and treat burnout?
1. Mix Things Up
One of the joys of freelancing is the ability to work with a variety of clients in various fields. Rather than focusing all your energy on one industry, take on clients from different industries and tackle diverse projects. Here at Lyons Creative, we might start the day writing fintech emails and end it generating copy for a cruise line’s social media account. The variety keeps things fresh and prevents boredom.
2. Set Boundaries
It can be tempting to make yourself available to your clients at all times—after all, you don’t want to miss out on a great new project. But your productivity will actually improve if you have set working hours. Make sure there are times when you aren’t being bombarded with work-related notifications, and take the occasional afternoon off to work on passion projects or just take a well-deserved break.
3. Consider Taking a Sabbatical
This obviously isn’t something everyone can do, but many companies—including Google and 3M—give their creatives significant time off to seek inspiration and generate new ideas. Both sticky notes and Scotch tape were invented while their creators were on sabbatical. Consider whether you can afford to take a sabbatical, and plan ahead to make it happen.
4. Recharge with Activities You Love
Whether it’s spending time with family and friends, going on a walk, or taking a nap, it’s important to make sure you’re recharging in your free time. Self-care is key, and you’ll find that you’re more creative and motivated during your working hours if you’re taking good care of yourself during your time off.
5. Try a New Work Schedule
Some freelancers work 9-to-5, while others choose less conventional hours. If you’ve been working the same hours for a long time, consider changing things up. Check with your clients to see when you need to be available for meetings, then create a schedule that has you working during the hours when you’re most motivated. You may even set a different schedule in the summer than in the winter—experiment to see what works best for you.
6. Switch Up Your Setting
Every freelancer has said it—“I can work from anywhere as long as there’s a WiFi connection!” But are you really taking advantage of the flexibility your job provides? Grab your laptop and sit on the deck outside your favorite coffeeshop, or meet up with other creative professionals at a shared workspace. You can even plan a work trip…with a few days of vacation thrown in, of course!
The key to avoiding burnout is cutting it off before it takes hold. Even if you aren’t feeling particularly burnt out at the moment, now is a great time to maximize your creative potential with these 6 tips.
Written by: Em Wooden
