How to Function During Burn Out

It's time for our annual Burnout talk! For some reason, I am in a cycle of burnout around Easter each year. As an artist, your creativity is your greatest asset, but what happens when the well runs dry? Burnout is an all-too-common experience for creatives, especially those balancing the pressures of making art, running a business, and keeping up with daily responsibilities. I am going to explore what burnout is, how to recognise it, and most importantly, how to recover from it and prevent it in the future.

What Is Burnout?

Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. It's a step before Fuctional Freeze and a step after 'needing a holiday'. It’s often accompanied by feelings of detachment, frustration, and a lack of motivation. For artists, burnout can make creating feel like a chore rather than a passion, leading to self-doubt and creative blocks.

Signs You Might Be Burnt Out

Not sure if you’re experiencing burnout? When I spoke about burnout on the Podcast last year, a friend and fellow creative heard the episode and realised that they too weren't burntoutand didn't realise. So, here are some common signs:

Lack of motivation: You no longer feel excited about creating, even if you used to love it. For me, I shut everyone out because I can't be bothered communicating. I don't reply to comments and messages on social media (even if they are positive). I don't reply to texts, and if I do, it takes me a few weeks. I don't answer my phone and I certainly don't return calls. It takes all my effort to reply to emails, and even then it takes a few days. I lack the motivation to communicate.
Chronic exhaustion: You feel physically and emotionally drained, no matter how much you rest. This Saturday just gone, I slept from 8pm to 8am (12 hours sleep) and when I woke up I could have easily gone back to sleep, but my anxious brain get's rolling and makes it near impossible to go back to sleep.
Creative blocks: Ideas aren’t flowing, and creating feels like a struggle. When clients brief me on their projects I normally have visual ideas pop into my head, but when I'm burnt out it's like my brain is filled with water. No ideas. No excitement. No grand plan to push the boundaries of design and street art. Just... water.
Increased self-doubt: You question your work more than usual and feel unsatisfied with what you create. I notice that I get into the design process, then half-way through I question what I'm doing, tidy it up a little and send it to the client to ask if I'm on track. I need the external validation to keep going.
Irritability and frustration: Small setbacks feel overwhelming, and you find yourself easily annoyed. I was cleaning the house the other day and saw mold on the ceiling of the kitchen and burst out crying. I know it's not that tragic - I live in a tropical climate and mold is fairly common. It was the instant overwhelm. I've had 'fix the roof' on my list of things to do for a year now. I've got the quotes. I have picked a roofer. I literally have to send one email to say 'go ahead' and fix the roof. But I haven't and that one job feels overwhelming. During said cleaning spree I announced to the family that the kitchen was going to remain spotless for the whole week so I didn't have to clean it again next weekend. I was having my family wipe down benches each night and tidy every afternoon. It's unusal behaviour for me. I'm normally unphased by the state of the kitchen. I realised that it felt like the rest of my life was out of control and I was latching onto one thing I could control - the cleanliness of the kitchen. So dirty plates on the bench were setting me off! Poor family...
Neglecting self-care: You’re skipping meals, not getting enough sleep, or ignoring social connections. When the overwhelm kicks in I have a terrible habit of not looking after myself. Not eating, not exercising, drinking alcohol, pushing and pushing and pushing myself harder.

Functioning as an Artist During Burnout

If you’re experiencing burnout but still need to create, here’s how I try to function without making it worse:

Lower your expectations and prioritise. Give yourself permission to create without perfectionism. A good friend, Joel once said to me 'I am doing the best that I can in this moment.' I have been using this as my 'burnout mantra'. Focus on small, simple projects rather than ambitious ones and make sure to prioritise those projects. For example, when I was burning out this time last year my bank balance was low and work was slow. My priority was to rest while still making money. So I prioritised all the paid client projects and any project that was unpaid (ie. content creation, blogs, planning, painting) I took off my list. This year, my burnout is not due to money/work - I have money in the bank and work coming in. This year I am burnt out because I have committed to too many work projects and external life has been getting in the way. A random cyclone wiped a week from my work calendar (in a bad way), my 17 year old cat is sick and I'm constrantly worried about her (and working from bed next to her right now) and having to assess her quality of life, needing to build a new studio and not knowing what to do, and my husband has been sick almost everyday of this year. So, over-committing plus overwhelm with life. It feels heavy. So I am prioritising the nagging projects that feel the heaviest: getting the roof fixed, monitoring my kitty cat (working from bed) and finding a builder. Saying no to work projects that are unpaid or low pay and that I'm not excited about.
Set boundaries. Say no to new commitments that drain your energy and focus on what truly matters. I notice I can say 'no' when I am burnt out, but prior to crashing and burning I think that I can take on all the projects. It's only when it's too late and I'm already exhausted that I see what I've done: over-committed. I have drawn up a post it note for my laptop that lists my 3 favorite types of projects to work on: Community murals, NFP design work and school workshops. At the moment, all other projects are a 'no thank you, not right now'.
Take breaks. Step away from your work regularly. Short walks, stretching, or even taking a few deep breaths can help. I wholeheartedly believe this is the reason I have been able to continue functioning. I have still managed to walk most mornings for 30 minutes and go to gym or sport most nights. It takes all my energy to show up at gym, but I always feel better afterwards, even if I did cry my way through my boxing class. This is how I get myself to show up when I really don't feel like it: I say 'just put your shoes on, and see how you feel.' So I put my shoes on and feel ok. Then I say 'Just get in the car and drive to the gym and if you want to come home, you can.' So I drive to the gym and reassess how I feel. By that time the trainer has seen me and is waving for me to come in. So I say 'Just start the gym class and if after 10 minutes you don't want to , then you can go home.' And I never end up going home early. Once I'm there I get into it.
Seek inspiration elsewhere. Read, watch movies, or visit nature—anything that fills your creative cup without pressuring you to produce. The beach is my creative space and the library. Making the time to 'just be' and not racing from here to there. Being present in these spaces. Seeing the rainbow. Just patting your cat and studying every hair on it. Not having a to do list for a day. No that's crazy talk!
Ask for help. Talk to other artists, friends, or a mentor who understands what you’re going through. I am terrible at this. I shut down all communication with everyone. I find when I talk to people about the space that I am in, they try to fix it. I just need someone to listen. Thank goodness for my psychologist. She's paid to listen!

How to Recover From Burnout

The good news? Burnout isn’t permanent. Here’s how you can recover:

Rest and recharge. Prioritise sleep, take time off, and allow yourself to do nothing without guilt. That 'without guilt' thing is hard. As a mum (and a fur mum), I feel guilty most of the time, but I have booked several days off over the next few weeks and then I have 2 full weeks off over Easter. Let's see if I can actually rest...
Reconnect with joy. Engage in art-making purely for fun—no deadlines, no clients, just play. One thing that helped me recover from burnout last year was reading Julia Camerons book 'The Artists Way' which prioritises artist dates. Where you go and have fun by yourself each week. You craft and create for the love of it. I know you have 128,947 craft projects floating around your home. Pick one up.
Take care of your body. Eat nutritious foods, exercise, and practise relaxation techniques like meditation or deep breathing. The Calm app with The Daily Jay 10 minute meditations have been such a joy. As I mentioned above, showing up to gym/sport is so tough but I never regret it.
Re-evaluate your workload. Are you taking on too much? Adjust your schedule to include more breathing room.
Rediscover your ‘why.’ Remind yourself why you became an artist in the first place. Look back at old work that made you proud and reignite that passion. My 'why' was to make a connection and a difference in peoples lives. I still love creating art, but I'd love to give myself more time to develop my work further.

Preventing Burnout in the Future

Once you’ve recovered, the key is to prevent burnout from happening again. This is the part I am not good at!

Schedule regular breaks. Rest isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. Believe it or not, I schedule in loads of time off for myself, but my boundaries are weak and I let it get gobbled up by work. It's so hard when work is irregular, like it is for artists. You take the work when it comes, even if it might be on your holidays. Or sometimes, I have time off - like the 6 weeks over Christmas and I spend the whole time building a gym and a shed and not resting. Don't be like Sarah and rest when you have time off.
Create for yourself. Not every project needs to be monetised or shared—make art just because you love to. I forget to do this. I have a million unfinished creative projects I am working on. All of which bring me joy, but unless the project is sitting out and easily accessible, I don't touch it. Don't be like Sarah - have your project sitting out ready for you to work on for 30 minutes every night.
Build a support network. Surround yourself with people who encourage and understand you. If you don't have a group of artist friends, think about joining the Creative Business Group which is full of artists in a similar space to you.
Practise self-care. Your well-being should be as much of a priority as your art. I started the year so focused on my self care - eating well, working out daily, giving myself time and space and priortising sleep. Then work and life happened and it seeps into my time. Again, stronger boundaries needed! Don't be like Sarah - set your boundaries and stick to them.
Set realistic goals. Avoid overcommitting and leave room for spontaneity in your creative process.

Final Thoughts

Burnout is tough, but it’s not the end of your creativity. By recognising the signs early, taking care of yourself, and setting healthy boundaries, you can get back to creating with joy and purpose. Remember, your art thrives when you do.

If you're in the midst of burnout and you need support, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 (Australia) who have 24/7 crisis support. Or, if like me, you can recognise a cycle of burnout in your life, please talk to your GP about referring you to a psychologist as part of a Mental Health Plan.