How Can I Prevent Burnout as a Freelance Creative?
The following article was published in the NOV/DEC 2024 issue of the Visual Artists Ireland News Sheet
AOIBHEANN GREENAN OUTLINES SOME KEY PRINCIPLES TO HELP CULTIVATE A MORE JOYFUL AND SUSTAINABLE CREATIVE PRACTICE.
Through my conversations with artists and creative freelancers, I’ve observed that burnout is becoming an increasingly common experience. We face unique challenges, such as relentless pressure to innovate, meet client demands, and stay financially afloat in an unpredictable, competitive market. These factors often make burnout harder to recognize when we’re caught up in the daily grind. However, identifying the symptoms early is vital for safeguarding both your well-being and your creative spark.
One of the most telling signs of burnout is persistent exhaustion – the kind that no amount of sleep seems to cure. You wake up feeling physically and emotionally drained, and fatigue follows you throughout the day. Another key indicator is emotional numbness or detachment from your work. What once was a source of enjoyment now feels burdensome. For artists, whose work thrives on emotional engagement, this disconnect can be especially debilitating.
Preventing burnout requires a holistic approach that addresses both the external pressures of freelance life and the internal forces pushing you toward exhaustion. While I don’t believe in panaceas, I’d like to offer four simple principles that can help you cultivate a more joyful and sustainable creative practice.
1. Prioritize Rest:
It may seem annoyingly obvious, but prioritizing rest is often one of the most difficult and counterintuitive commitments to uphold – especially when deadlines are looming! However, intentionally incorporating downtime into your schedule is essential for maintaining long-term creativity and mental health. Deep rest extends beyond simply getting enough sleep; it involves giving yourself the space to completely unplug. Regularly scheduling 15-minute breaks for activities like aimless walking, daydreaming, or meditation, enables your nervous system to shift from the overstimulated ‘fight-or-flight’ mode (sympathetic) into the parasympathetic state, where true recovery can take place.
Erykah Badu refers to this as "downloading time"—periods when nothing appears to be happening on the surface, yet deeper processes are unfolding. By nurturing a relaxed, receptive state, you create the ideal conditions for inspiration and creativity to naturally reemerge. We’ve all experienced how stepping away for brief intervals allows us to return to our work with fresh perspectives and discover new connections. In this way, rest becomes the foundation for every aspect of your creative practice.
2. Examine Your Motivations:
Creative burnout often stems from deep-rooted psychological patterns, particularly the need for external validation. For many artists, their creativity has served as a lifelong means of feeling seen, especially if their talents were linked to conditional approval during childhood. Unfortunately, this dynamic can lead to an unconscious cycle of perfectionism and overwork. Once you’ve established a more regulated state through rest, it’s essential to routinely examine your underlying motivations. Practices like journaling, coaching, or therapy can guide you in asking important questions: Why am I pushing myself so hard? What am I trying to prove, and to whom? This self-awareness enables you to shift your practice from one driven by external validation to one fueled by authentic curiosity and personal fulfillment. In other words, you begin to work from the inside out.
The joy and connection you derive from your creative process should always outweigh the fleeting high of external approval. As you detach your self-worth from achievement and validation, new creative avenues will often emerge – ones that a narrow focus may have previously obscured.
3. Embrace Play:
Freelancers often face an intense focus on outcomes, which can stifle the joy and creativity that originally drew you to your craft. A powerful way to prevent burnout is to reconnect with playfulness in your process. Set aside time for unstructured experimentation, free from deadlines and the expectations of others. Ask yourself: What materials, colours, motifs, sounds, or phrases naturally excite me? What activities did I love as a child? Start collecting items and ideas that spark your interest, using a simple filter: Does this make me feel contracted or expansive? Follow the path of expansion and pay attention to how seemingly unrelated elements begin to connect in unexpected ways.
As you let go of rigid expectations, you may experience surprising breakthroughs. Neuroscience supports this idea; dopamine, the brain’s ‘reward’ neurotransmitter, is triggered by curiosity and play, helping you enter more relaxed, open states conducive to problem-solving and creative flow.
4. Set Boundaries:
Freelancing often blurs the lines between work and personal life that can lead to overwork and emotional exhaustion. Therefore, setting clear boundaries is essential for protecting your mental and physical wellbeing. This requires being intentional about the projects you take on and ensuring they align with your energy levels and personal values.
One effective tool I use with my clients is a scoring system based on non-negotiable criteria that each project must meet. This approach helps to ensure that you’re only taking on work that resonates with you, thereby avoiding misaligned projects that could lead to burnout. Additionally, it’s crucial to establish firm work hours – easier said than done – and make time for activities and relationships that nurture you outside of work.
If you’re feeling burned out, view it as a signal that your creative practice needs to evolve. The phrase “work smarter, not harder” is especially relevant here. The key is to cultivate a practice that nurtures both your creativity and wellbeing. Remember, if you’re in this for the long haul, there’s no need to rush to the top. The quality of your work will always reflect the energy and intention behind it. By honoring your physical and emotional health, you set the stage for a more fulfilling and sustainable career.
