Ways to Reclaim Your Creativity After Experiencing Burnout
Now, more than ever, mental health has become the forefront of many conversations. What once was a stigmatized topic of discussion has evolved into a widely talked about concern that affects more than 70% of the Generation z population. Most of our Generation has grown up with adult figures that embrace hustle culture, complying with the immense stress it puts on oneself and the family unit. We have seen people we care about sacrifice their time and mental health for a system that rarely allows for a life outside of work duties - maybe just a 2-week vacation for most. It is easy with the system we live in, to experience severe burnout and equate it with mental health issues like anxiety & depression. In the US alone, 73% of Americans suffer from mental health concerns caused by or related to stress.
Burnout is unfortunately inevitable, but there are ways to help reclaim your creativity and bring yourself back down to earth.
Here are some ways I deal with burnout, in a hustle-culture-obsessed society:
Get outside & explore! - (Yes it’s cliche)
Being outside in calm spaces has been proven to do wonders for clearing mental blockages, decreasing depression, and increasing focus & attention. When we unplug and really take the time to be within ourselves, we can gain a sense of clarity and relaxation. Making time to see new things and appreciate new experiences, helps to open up creative thinking and inspire new thoughts & creative ideas.
2. Journaling - *Visually*
When I experience burnout, I love to express my emotions through visual journaling. Yes, traditional forms of journaling like taking pen to paper is beneficial and has been proven to reduce anger and stress, but I find that collaging images that really capture what I am feeling in the moment help to visually get it out of my system. Creating art is a great way to decompress and let whatever be, be. There are no rules or limitations to methods of art. It can be very therapeutic to let your mind wander and roam how it needs to without following any particular set of guidelines.
3. Create space for wellness
I used to make New Years’ resolutions about losing a certain numerical amount of weight but I soon realized that every year I made that my goal, I would often fall short and blame myself for not working harder. That mentality led to negative & destructive thinking that contributed to my anxiety about myself. It was not until recently, that I decided it is not about how much of something I lose or gain, but what I am doing to better myself overall. Creating space for wellness can be as simple as dedicating time to reading, taking a bath, going on a walk, or journaling. Changing your perspective has helped create a space of positive thinking where you are not too hard on yourself, and can accept that life is busy and patience is important.
