Burnout: a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion that stems from prolonged levels of stress. Otherwise known as the unwelcome guest that every creative professional dreads. UGH. In the fast-paced world of our industry, where creativity and deadlines work in constant opposition to one another, burnout can sneak up on even the most passionate individuals.
At DayCloud, we believe in tackling the big bad burnout head-on rather than sweeping it under the rug; after all, there are many different strategies for dealing with it, and it varies from person to person. Read on as our team members share their personal strategies and experiences to help keep the creative spark alive.
Q: How do you identify and address burnout within your team?
NO EXCUSES. JUST RESULTS.
Just kidding.
Burnout levels vary. For a creative block, I suggest taking a walk, revisiting the original problem, and discussing initial inspiration. Sometimes a break, fresh eyes, and a healthy dose of collaboration do the trick.
Big-time burnout is a different beast. There’s not much I can do besides giving space—time with family, vacation, or whatever is needed to get mentally healthy. If an employee is in a dark place, my response is, "What do you need? Take your time. Do you need a few weeks off? Take them. Just get your mind right."
The key is recognizing the level of burnout. You can’t have chaos at work, at home, and within yourself—that’s what causes burnout. Too much chaos from too many angles leads to exhaustion. Finding inner peace and balance is crucial.
Q: Can you describe a time when you experienced creative burnout?
Burnout manifests for me as high pressure, anxiety, or fear about my work. Thoughts like "I won't do this right," "the client won't be happy," or "I won't get paid" create burnout and blockages.
To combat this, I stop and clear my head. I distract myself and think about anything else to avoid spiraling. Once my mind is clear, I revisit the original problem and seek inspiration. Seeing how other creatives solve similar problems is what really inspires me.
Q: What are some signs or symptoms you notice in yourself when creative burnout is starting to set in?
Creative burnout is sneaky. Sometimes, I don't realize it's happening until I'm working on a project and can't generate any ideas. I'm staring at a blank screen, and nothing comes to mind. At that point, I'm already burnt out.
Leading up to it, there's usually a lot of stress. In the creative industry, much of our work is for others. When I struggle to make personal art, that’s a clear sign of burnout; I've spent so much energy creating for others that I have nothing left for myself.
If I don’t have any ideas outside of work and come home too exhausted to create, I know I'm truly burnt out. The desire to create outside of work is key
Q: When you find that you’re burnt out, how do you combat it?
First, take a rest. It’s helpful to create something stress-free—just for yourself. It doesn't have to be good or shown to anyone. Let me repeat that: IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE GOOD. We often fall into toxic perfectionism, especially with client work, thinking everything must be perfect. Break that cycle by sketching or journaling completely free of pressure.
Inspiration is crucial. For some, it’s nature; for me, it’s Pinterest or other creative sites (not Instagram though… that’s a doomscroll waiting to happen). Visiting art museums or engaging in inspiring activities also helps. Remember, not everything has to be creative or 100% unique. Drawing inspiration from other sources is okay—as long as it’s not plagiarism.
Talking to other designers and artists can help with burnout. Collaboration is incredibly beneficial. Sometimes, just discussing ideas with others can get your creative juices flowing. You don’t have to do it all alone. Remember: asking for help and using others' ideas doesn’t make you a bad designer. It makes you resourceful.
Q: How does burnout manifest for you? How do you cope?
When I feel rundown, I reset my boundaries and dial back. My burnout often comes from taking on too many outside activities, like my basketball training or other responsibilities. To cope, I rebalance and reprioritize. Saying no to extra things helps me manage my energy.
Q: What kind of support do you provide to your team to help them avoid burnout?
Burnout is different for everyone. I usually have a good sense of where people are at, especially designers with heavy workloads. I communicate with Liz to balance things out, like suggesting who can take on more or if we need to push a project back.
For me, DayCloud projects don’t cause much burnout; project management is easy. It’s the heavier involvement in projects for our biggest regular client, Valley, that are more mentally consuming; since I have an agricultural background and they are an irrigation manufacturer, I tend to take the lead on their projects and it can take a lot of my attention.
Q: With such a variety of work, how do you manage your workload to prevent burnout?
The variety of work is actually what helps me prevent burnout. If I find myself losing momentum or focus on a project and I know I'm just going to sit and stare at it (assuming there's no strict deadline), I pivot to something else. Switching to a different creative task—like from design to video editing to writing—refreshes me. It feels productive and helps me return to the original task with renewed energy.
Q: What strategies do you use to overcome creative burnout?
I search for inspiration from other creatives. Sometimes, all you need is a mental kickstart, so I go out of my way to see what other creators are cooking up. For example, if I’m working on social media for a trucking client, I’ll browse what truckers and trucking accounts are posting. Since I’m not exactly a trucker (crazy, I know), this helps me learn what their audience finds interesting and relevant. It makes the job more fascinating and helps combat those creative blocks.
Other times, I just need space to breathe. I’ll go for a long walk, grab a coffee and relax for half an hour, or get a workout in. Just like taking rest time between sets to perform your best at the gym, we need short breaks between productivity periods. Ultimately, you’re probably going to be more productive if you give yourself time to recenter with an unrelated activity or some rest, rather than sitting and banging your head against the wall until something creative oozes out.
So there you have it. Burnout might be the creative’s arch-nemesis, but armed with some of our team’s advice, you can tell it to take a hike. Remember, it’s all about finding what works for you– whether it’s a workout, a Pinterest session, or a heart-to-heart with a fellow creative. Keep those fires burning bright, and when in doubt, just take a short break and let your mind wander. Who knows? Your next big idea might be just around the corner. Stay quirky, stay inspired, and most importantly, stay kind to yourself.