Anyone else feel like they're constantly burning out and trying to do too much with not enough time to do what you enjoy?
I’ve been through a lot recently.
But the only thing that has got me through it all is my many creative ventures.
In my naivety I confused these things I enjoyed, things that kept me present, as something that should be turned into a business and aimed to be profited from.
But oh did I have it wrong.
And all it brought was unneccessary stress on my mental.
As I set more and more self imposed deadlines and unrealistic goals because of my “idols” achievements I saw online.
The stress built and built.
Trying to do way way way too much.
But for what reason?
The mindset I had built and the people I followed made it seem like it was okay.
Until it wasnt.
I was spiralling and it felt like the to-do lists and ideas were never going to stop.
And before I knew it, I had worked myself into being ill.
Sat in bed only wishing for one thing.
I was still being hard on myself.
But all it took was something I read flicking a switch in my mind.
And making me realise what caused my decline.
“You’re doing too much, you don’t need to do all this, just stop and be”
I was and still am addicted to working.
And it feels weird to say when this western side of the world adores the 30 under 30 list and anyone who is doing an 80 hour work week.
For obvious reasons.
But its just not healthy.
And my physical self took the tole.
I’ve started to notice what triggers me and am finding the balance between when I should work and when its time to put down the tools and just play.
It may sound weird to someone who isn't consumed by their ambition and work.
But these are notes I’ve genuinely had to write for myself to help.
When the work is done. Be done.
Go home and enjoy the rest of your day.
It only starts with having compassion for yourself and understanding why it is you feel you need to work so much.
We all just want to make our people proud and do the good work we were put on this earth to do.
Cut yourself some slack, its okay.
I get it you’re working towards your future.
But when will it stop.
Make something for your soul, not your distant hope.
Find something to do after work that makes you forget the future even exists.
Replies9
- This was really well written, and I’m sorry that you’re feeling this way (although you should be proud of how eloquently you write your turmoil).I used to have a full time career in advertising which took all my effort and creativity at all hours of the day and after 3 years I had to quit for good after I hit a burn out that I couldn’t come back from.I’m primarily a writer & director and that’s what I strive to become someday, but on my own terms (writing and directing only for myself). However I’ve found that I’m pretty good at video editing, and whilst this isn’t something I want to be long-term, it does make me money right now, and it still gives me energy to write film in my own time. I think if I tried to become a writer and get paid for that, I would burn out and lose the joy from writing.This may not be an option for you,But if there’s another thing you can get paid for which still exercises your creativity but doesn’t drain it from your true passion, it may help avoid burnout
- I think we all learn these things as we go along, I produced a business plan at the end of my first year (in 2009) and realised that everything came back to one thing, me, everything competed for my time that was (and still is) the critical resource and it’s mission critical that is what I to plan for.I also worked out that if I work every day I cease to be a creative, so if I wanted to be a creative I had to fit taking time off into my schedule and all those good things – to do all the other good things I enjoy.In about November 2016/17 I found myself physically burnt out and did not see it coming, so again I changed things, I made sure I got a vitamin d supplement in place when the day length changes and focused on that too. I now use the change in the clocks in both October and March as a prompt to review and make sure I’m looking after myself for the next 5-6 months and change things at that point for what’s ahead.Also as a more business street smarts thing for our own well beingIf we are to grow as people and businesses we need to become managers and delegate and only do what we are very good at and can add the most to. It’s a common mistake to think we need to do everything, delegate and manage as a matter of good practice.You need to appreciate that to run our business well we may only have a utilisation rate of 30-40% - as a photographer if I spend more than 50% of my time with a camera in my hand I know I’m in trouble with everything else I need to do to run the business and following services. It varies from industry to industry but it will be unlikely you will get paid for more than 50% -60% of your time at the most, for some of us it could be considerably less – so plan for it – if you don’t it will take lumps out of you!
- Beautifully said! We creatives have to hear and talk about these topics more often. We have so many arenas of play and some are just for play and it's pretty ok. We forget that.Doing genuinely from our core will and does help drop what needs to be dropped and remember to BE. It's a path of building that goes step by step, once you have done a good job, let it live and live as well.Happy to read your thoughts and it does resonate with me.Once we realize our playgrounds: those to keep nurturing, those to elevate and transform into a businesses and those to experiment for growth... we take back our power of crafting.
- @Linsey M thank you for the thoughts, yeh I completely agree with all you said, even writing this now I know I should be switched off but I'm learning to find the balance. It has only gotten better since I realised the hamster wheel I was on and had more compassion for myself. Have a good week too :)
- @Sharon Callcut if you ever wanted to ask me any questions about it that you think could help you in your consulting, coaching and helping others, shoot me a message :)
- @Ella Wilcock Ye exactly the same thing Ella, wanted so bad to make money from it just so I could continue doing it every day. But it really does take time and you just have to take the small steps each day to get there. I put so much pressure on myself, that I didn't even realise it until I stopped. Very grateful that I've been able to go through this and see it from the other side.
- Thanks for that Josh, I dont know how you summed that up so well! Exactly how I feel, I get to the point where I've tired myself out that much I can no longer be productive and everything I have done in regards to my art practice feels pointless. I put so much pressure on myself to become a business and make a business out of what I love, in the end it almost doesn't feel fun anymore.
- I love this post and thank you for sharing, Josh. I'm finding as a consultant, coach, and mentor that the situation you're describing is happening more and more, with overwhelm and burnout being the end result. Setting any venture up from scratch takes time; a long time in fact as you have to accomplish everything on your own and then wait for it to gain momentum. What is often presented via SM is the end result, not the years of getting there, and gives the perception that it happened overnight. The journey is the enjoyable part of any success, so take time to acknowledge all the small wins of what you've achieved, and take time away from what you are creating, as it's these moments when the lightbulb ideas happen. I admire you for working so hard for what you want but applaud you even more for realising that you need to feed your soul along the way, to truly get to a place that's worth having. Good luck, Josh, and all the best!
- Hope you are doing ok and cutting yourself some slack, so much to type on this but I will try and keep it as brief as I can.Great post and definitely, as a culture we love to shout about successes (however that may be to someone, usually (not always) money and materialism in our society but really isn't).Often with creativity or creative ventures it is tricky to know what is fun and what is profitable and when they overlap this can cause friction, stress or lack of enjoyement.Sometimes what is potentially right for you or you're good at is not always how to make money - I mean being creative (in whatever way that is), perhaps it can work where you have a 9-5 or part time outlet which has nothing to do with 'creativity' where you can switch off, no stress and then come home and enjoy creative pursuits without having to think about profit or whatever.There doesn't have to be a focus or outcome and with trying to set up something/business/ profitable creative venture there is a never ending focus on where the 'thing' is going and like you say, it's good to not have the pressure (slef imposed or other) and enjoy your downtime/free time or creative time.Have a great week :)
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