Creative Burnout and how I overcame it

Everyone experiences creative burnout at some point in their career.

For some, it may be after you produce your best work, and the response is disappointing. For others, it may be after a period of stagnation where their output remains at the same level, but the quality is declining.

In this post, I will explain how I overcame my creative block and what I’ve learned about the creative process that might be useful to others experiencing a similar block. Before I begin, I’d like to mention that it’s never a good idea to burn yourself out and quit your day job. I did this once, and it was a mistake. It certainly wasn’t fun, and I didn’t get any projects off the ground while doing it, but I had to pay the rent! Now, I make sure I can strike a balance between having the time to create and doing what I need to be successful as a professional artist.

So how did I get to this point?

I had taken a job at a company that did not have a photo department, I had to build a team and photograph at the same time. At first it was exciting, but as time went on the environment got more hostile and I was burning out so bad my health deteriorated. I ended getting hurt, I had small factures on my finger joints and had to get muscle relaxer for my arm and back due to the pain. It was during this time I started becoming this anrgy person who looked at my camera with resentment. It was like I no longer wanted to photograph anymore, it caused me both mental and physical problems. I knew I had to do sometime, but I didn’t do anything until one day at work someone said something and I suddenly was like I don’t need to take this anymore and quit on spot. Working in a toxic environment is the worst thing you can do to yourself, some people are trapped there and I told myself even if I had to work 2-3 jobs it was better than staying there. Soon after quitting, I tried to create for myself again and found that I could not.

At first, I didn’t understand why I was experiencing such creative blocks. I mean I cried myself sleep wondering why, I thought that by leaving that terrible place I could be happy again, I realized it was not going to be easy. I thought it was because I didn’t have any inspiration anymore, so I just decided to skip a week or a month from photography and create whatever came to mind with what was around. That didn’t help, though. I was still stuck in the same place, doing the same thing every day and getting the same result.

That’s when I realized something had to change if I wanted to continue growing as an artist and break the block holding me back for so long. I had to figure out what was causing this blockage in the first place so that I could take steps to correct it and move on with my life. So I decided to research the subject and find out what other people do when they are stuck creatively and unable to come up with new ideas or create something meaningful.

Here are some of the things I found to be most helpful:

First, it’s important to remember that creativity doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It requires a certain amount of preparation to generate the best results. The first step you need to take when you’re struggling to get inspired is to create some kind of structure that will help you stay focused and productive throughout your creative process. I know how odd it is to be an artist, where we are used to creative freedom, but when you are lost,, having that structure is almost mandatory to get you back to creating.

Setting a schedule for yourself, for example, can be helpful since it forces you to set aside a certain amount of time to work on your creative project each day without getting distracted. It’s also important to avoid multitasking as much as possible since that can make it difficult to focus and engage in the creative process.

Another important thing you can do is remove any distractions from your space that might prevent you from getting work done. Limit your access to social media, keep the TV off, turn off the music, etc. This will help to create a more serene atmosphere where you’ll be free to let your creativity flow freely without being disturbed. It would help if you also tried to be as patient as possible during this process since you mustn’t rush your work at the expense of quality.

Sometimes it may take a while to come up with an idea that you’re happy with, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t eventually overcome this challenge and find a way to overcome your creative block.

Just keep at it, and eventually, you’ll find a way to break through your limits and come up with something truly brilliant!

During this process, I learned that it is not the act of creating in my medium or any others; it is about creating a stress-free block of time in a place of comfort that inspires you. It is about permitting yourself to create in that time and then allowing your art to come to you without worrying about the outcome.

I am still on this journey, but compared to where I was a few years ago, I am in a much better place now. I fell back in love with photography, explored, and found new joy in different mediums. Most importantly, I discovered more about myself and am still learning about myself. I am learning to make time for myself and the only thing holding me back was myself.

I hope this helps you try to take the first steps in breaking out of burnout and getting back to what you do best, creating.

Happy Creating,

<3 Ann