How to Avoid Burnouts and Creative Slumps as an Artist

We usually witness at one point or another in our lives a kind of burnout and slumps. But no one ever wishes it to happen to them. So how can we avoid these unwanted issues when there are a lot of factors that inevitably lead to their paths?

We have to admit it: in spite of the blessing of having the chance to do what you like for a living, we cannot hide it that a life of an artist is full of ups and downs, making it interestingly exciting, though.

At many points in our lives, we have feelings that we can hardly control, a lack of self-confidence, or sometimes a kind of boredom because of handling the same tasks over and over again.

Here are a few tips to overcome burnouts and slumps throughout your career’s life.

Ask yourself: why do I have such a feeling?

We cannot overcome a problem when we do not understand it and the reasons leading to it.

Heading directly to the root of the problem isn’t a wise idea. Try exploring what’s behind this bad feeling. 

In fact, the sooner you discover the cause behind the problem, the sooner you get your passion and enthusiasm back.

Try to abandon the feeling of shame

We as artists have a deep feeling that our creativity is what builds our identity.

Based on that, we have to beat that psychological roadblock of I cannot be creative anymore; It will feel like an amazing blow that will boost our self-esteem.

It’s sometimes shameful, leading you to worry about what’s going on with you!

The difficulty to be creative can sometimes be paralyzing. Yet, changing the way you deal with the problem will often help you overcome the burnout faster.

“Creative burnout isn’t something fatal, it’s an injury,” says Nathalie Sejean.

Nathalie adds, “you haven’t dried up your well of creativity; you haven’t overworked your creative muscles. You forgot to stretch it. You repeated too many times the same movements, over-developing sections and weakening others.”

Luckily, you can get back to your usual status. Try to accept the burnout you’re witnessing because it’s always considered a short phase of the creativity process.

So let go of that shame and throw it in the closest trash to you. If your mind is filled with negativity, then that burnout will linger longer, if not forever.

Switch to something else once stuck

Creativity is an unstable thing; it does not come forcibly. 

When you feel as if you were beating a wall, do not give up! Switch to doing something else; such a process pulls the rest button in your brain. Work on multiple art pieces little by little.

Take breaks

Many artists work hard that they double the work process; perfectionism often plays a key part in this; you feel in need to work extremely hard till you feel completely satisfied with the outcomes.

It should be noted, however, that the human mind is biologically in a pressing need of a break after exploiting its muscles, just like the case with the human body.

Have you ever tried to take a day off, just to go back the next day with a fresh energy and enthusiasm? Such a freshness has nothing to do with luck; it’s because your brain has got sufficient rest enabling it to be ready for more.

Never underestimate the importance of friendship

Whenever you feel the burnout, ask for your friends’ help!

It’s significantly supportive to invest in your friends and companions. They will undoubtedly nourish and guide you to step forward.

It’s your duty then to communicate in a way that will lead you to feel better.

Again! Do not hesitate to ask for the help of your friends, especially those who are always willing to give you a hand.

Eliminate stress

Focusing on stress and negative thoughts will only worsen the issue of burnout. 

Let go of the stress that’s dominating and controlling your creativity. But, how?

There are many ways to boost your positivity and release stress:

1. Sing, even if you’re voice is bad.
2. Exercise belling breathing.
3. Try to smile and laugh wholeheartedly.
4. Befriend only positive people.
5. Practice meditation.
6. Workout or at least do some exercises.
7. Help other in need.

We’ve spoken about creativity burnouts and how to overcome them step by step. Now, it’s time to shed light upon creative slumps and how to get over them. 

Remember that creativity can never be lost, it just hides depending on the efforts you exert.

Here are 20 within-reach tips to overcome creative slumps successfully.

1. Choose a subject and illustrate it in many different ways for 30 days.
2. Purpose junk mail over again.
3. Choose a color you usually avoid and utilize it in excess.
4. Try to illustrate an event which you’re wholeheartedly passionate about.
5. Come up with a nostalgia-intriguing things from your childhood.
6. Ask one of your colleagues or friends to draw a shape and them complete it yourself.
7. Illustrate same thing many times utilizing complementary and analogous schemes.
8. Bring a picture and turn it upside down.
9. Practice a constant line drawing wherein the pencil does not leave the piece of paper while drawing.
10. Try brainstorming some phrases and then make illustrations that are based upon them.
11. Cut some images from a magazine and then combine them by tone to generate new images.
12. Search for a subject and then draw two images while you’re zooming closer.
13. Generate anything based upon the phrases you came up with.
14. Try recreating a work created by one of your favorite artists and then attribute it to yourself and add it to your own portfolio.
15. Illustrate a movie, book or T.V. character you’ve watched or read.
16. Join a group where you can follow an art prompt that is published weekly.
17. Try going for a walk and take photos of many random things, let’s say 8, and then choose one to draw.
18. Create a painting inspired by one of your favorite songs.
19. Draw something in details, and then redraw it 2 or 3 times to make it even more beautifully abstract each time.