SiteBeating Burnout Creatively
This fall I burned out — in a major way. I had tons of assignments due in August and September, and was psyched that I was going to spend all of October in Munich not working.
Well, after a month of café hopping, traveling around Germany, and meeting new people, I got home…and was still so burned out that I didn’t even want to think about getting back to work. I was tired all the time, and the idea of working on a query, doing an assignment, or writing to editors made me want to crawl under the covers and stay there. I wondered, Do I just need a break — or do I need a new career?
I took some career assessment tests, and they all told me that I should be a writer. O-kay. Then I made a list of the things I love about writing, and an incongruity revealed itself: I listed creativity as one of the things I enjoy about a writing career — but I suddenly realized I wasn’t getting any creative expression out of what is seemingly a creative career. My writing had become formulaic, partly because the formulas have worked so well for me, and partly because it’s difficult to let yourself be creative when an editor is telling you how to structure and organize your article, who to interview, and so on. Instead of feeling like I was creating something new and valuable, when I got an assignment I’d uninspiredly do my interviews, sleepwalk through my research, and crank out my bullet-pointed article.
Write article. Cash check. Repeat. Yawn.
Once I realized why I was feeling so blah about writing, I started researching creativity and trying out new ideas to spark inspiration surrounding my work. I decided that I needed not only to bring a sense of creativity to my work, but also to add creativity to my life outside of work. Here’s what I’ve come up with so far. If you’re feeling burned out in any type of work, maybe this will help you, too.
* Jump outside the box. I was stuck reading the same magazines, listening to the same music, doing the same things every day. So I decided to shake things up. At the bookstore, instead of picking up Body + Soul and Natural Health and Yoga Journal, I picked up Birder’s World and High Times (!) and Ham Radio Operator. This week, I plan to go to the library and borrow some CDs of music I don’t typically listen to, and DVDs of movies I wouldn’t normally watch.
* Be mindful at work. I’ve found that I often take the easy way out in my writing by falling back on overused words and phrases. (Here’s the deal: If I ever write “fill-you-up fiber” in a nutrition article again, you can force me to listen to a Bruce Willis CD.) I also lean too much on bullet points with clever alliterative subheads. So my new plan is to really pay attention when I write and try to come up with the best — not the easiest — way to get my ideas across. Okay, I don’t think anyone will read my next nutrition column in Oxygen and say, “Wow, that’s so creative — so unlike anything Linda has ever done before!” After all, I’ve been doing this full-time for ten years, so in most cases what comes easily to me is still pretty good. But I’ll feel the difference.
You can be creative in a non-writing job or in parts of your job that are not related to writing, too. Before starting a task that you’ve done so much that you can complete it with your eyes closed, figure out how you can do it differently to force your mind to pay attention to the task. I imagine you can even do this with filing (is your filing system really the most efficient?), working the printer (how about adding color to your docs?), or answering e-mail (can you answer all your messages in five sentences of fewer?).
* Take a class. In December, I’ll be signing up for an art class at Kimball-Jenkins Art School in Concord, NH. I was always praised for my artistic abilities when I was younger, but I let those abilities shrivel up from disuse. You don’t have to take an art class if that’s not your thing…how about drumming, or improvisation, or poetry?
* Do the twist. I do all kinds of exercise, but I find that yoga — especially the gentle, meditative kind as opposed to power yoga — opens up my heart and brain. It helps me sweep all the daily this-and-that from my mind so I have room for creativity. I signed up for a weekly yoga session, and will likely be adding a second session as well. You don’t have to shell out for a class: You can do poses at home from a book or DVD.
* Say om. I used to meditate for an hour every week at my karate dojo, but since I stopped doing karate I stopped meditating as well. Now, I’ve started up again, starting out with 10 minutes per day and working my way up to 15. I also occasionally do guided meditations from TheMeditationPodcast.com. Like yoga, meditation helps me make room in my mind for creativity, and it quiets the craziness in there so creative thoughts have a chance to percolate.
* Do morning pages. I’ve been reading The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, and one of the first things she suggests is doing morning pages: As soon as you wake up, write three pages, long-hand, about anything you want. It doesn’t matter if what you write is drivel or even the same word repeated twenty times. What matters is that you do it. I’m not quite sure how it works, but I suspect you’re spilling all the distracting chatter from your head onto the paper so you can redirect your mental powers to being creative. I also suspect that every once in a while, a creative gem will pop out of your head and onto the paper. I haven’t been doing it long enough to see results, but I’ll keep at it.
I only started adding these ideas to my routine two weeks ago, and I feel so, so much better. I realized that it’s not the writing itself that was the problem, but the way I was going about it. I also realized that I shouldn’t rely on my job to give me all the creative expression I need, but to add creativity to all parts of my life. [lf]
15 Responses to “Beating Burnout Creatively”
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Kristine
Said this on November 26th, 2007 at 11:13am:I am impressed with all of your ideas for rejuvenating your routine in career in life.
I said it before in a comment: writing is TOUGH. It’s fun, and that’s why we do it, but it’s HARD to keep up because when it comes down to it, you have to sit with yourself and get an article done. That’s stressful! Relying on a formula is an efficient survival technique, but a writer’s heart and brain require new input (like your art class) to keep the desire and joy there. I think an exciting life, in which you are learning new things and challenging yourself, is one of the essentials to sustain a happy writing life.
I like the Artist’s Way, but I think JC sets a high standard. 45 min EVERY DAY? I have a daily to do list for my routine, and first is “Morning Write.” If I can do 1 minute, or 4, that clears my head… but maybe I should aim for more. I did AW once, when I was taking a writing class and feeling so creative, and so much happiness and angst spilled onto the page. I loved seeing it, loved seeing my crazy mind and what’s in there if I push.
I’m focusing on starting a website career now, so writing has taken a backseat, but you’ve reminded me of how much I enjoyed AW, and that I should put it on my list of things that are part of a healthy, sustaining routine! I’ll aim for 10 first… then increase…
Elaine Grant
Said this on November 26th, 2007 at 11:24am:Linda, great post! I’m always impressed with your analytical approach to solving problems that, at first, don’t seem analytical at all. Good work.
I did morning pages religiously for about two years, and did the “artist’s dates” from The Artist’s Way as well, although not as consistently. They work! Stick with it — I’m a huge fan of this book; it changed my outlook on my life and, as a result, changed my life fundamentally as well.
Elaine Grant
Susan
Said this on November 27th, 2007 at 12:11am:Hi Linda,
I blogged about burnout a few weeks ago, too. I think it’s important to learn to say no when a) the assignment doesn’t really interest you and the pay isn’t enough to make it worth your while and/or b) you know it’s going to be a major squeeze to finish the article because of time constraints. As a relatively new freelancer, saying no can be scary for me, but I’ve found that it also frees me up for better assignments and ensures that I write about things that excite me!
Cal
Said this on November 27th, 2007 at 11:48am:Great tips — the only thing I’d add: get out of the house! I canceled my newspaper subscription so that I’m forced, rain or shine, to dress after breakfast and go for a short walk. Sounds silly, but has made all the difference..
Michelle
Said this on November 28th, 2007 at 6:53pm:I *love* your suggestion of morning pages! I’m going to give that a try first thing tomorrow morning. I’ve been struggling through a bit of writing frustration, which is always compounded by my lack of focus and tendency to worry.
I’ve found sometimes what works is just barreling through. Sometimes if I just start typing, I’ll find my groove and in an hour I’ll have a decent first draft or outline. Then sometimes, I have a lot of garbage and it’s time for another cup of tea.
LindaFormichelli
Said this on November 28th, 2007 at 7:13pm:Thanks for all your comments and suggestions!
Kristine, I know what you mean…I struggle to get out two pages of morning pages! But hey, my handwriting is small. ;->
Beverly Blair Harzog
Said this on November 28th, 2007 at 8:32pm:Linda,
I love the idea of “jumping outside the box.” What fun to delve into magazines that you wouldn’t normally read. I’m also intrigued by the idea of morning pages. But I think I’d need to have my coffee first!
I think your approach to resolving your burnout is very creative.
Beverly
becky
Said this on November 29th, 2007 at 3:06am:i did the morning pages for quite a while and they do work. right now, i don’t think i can fit them in (not with a week-old infant to care for), but once i get into more of a routine with the baby, i hope i can start again. it DOES help clear the clutter and allow you to focus better for the day.
Pat Haddock
Said this on November 29th, 2007 at 10:19pm:I stave off burn out by having three distinct areas of income: children’s book writing, teaching writing, and organizational communications consulting. I try and keep projects going in all three areas so I can switch when I burn out.
Try spending a hour in the children’s picture book section of a library or bookstore. There’s some wonderfully creative work out there that can rev you up. P
Sheryl Sisk Schelin
Said this on November 30th, 2007 at 2:52pm:Linda: Excellent post! I deal with burned-out lawyers as a coach (and am sometimes at risk of becoming one myself!), and I can tell you it’s far from unique to creative fields. But that need for creative expression hits many working professionals, and it seems to me you’re taking just the right steps.
One thing I will offer, from personal experience with respect to the Artist’s Way program (an AMAZING experience, in and of itself, apart from the considerable benefits it offers to “stuck” creatives), is that the Morning Pages idea really only works (or rather works well) when it’s approached with a sense of “serious play” – I still do them, because they do work, and I try to approach the page with the mindset of “I HAVE to and I WANT to do this – it’s fun even though my creative life depends on it.” And then – just let go. Write as quickly as you can, and never allow yourself to stop.
The other aspect to successful MPs is Julia’s second prescription of “Artist’s Dates.” You can call them whatever you like (and Artist’s Dates always seemed a little hokey to me) but it’s amazing what “filling the well” will do. I’ve taken up violin, learned knitting, watched documentaries I’d have never seen, explored pottery painting, taken a sketchbook and pencils to the beach (even though I can’t draw worth a lick), and gone on nature walks with the dog. It’s just endless, the things you can do to fill the well, and as long as they’re approached with that same “serious play” attitude, it’s amazing what you can get out of them.
Plus – they’re just plain fun.
Good luck!
Writer Mama
Said this on November 30th, 2007 at 8:39pm:Writing Morning Pages can change your life. I swear by them. Because of M.P., I met my husband, I left a city I didn’t enjoy living in where I’d lived for almost nine years. I have found my way through complicated ideas in an orderly manner. I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, I’ve screamed at the top of my lungs. All safely on the page without any witnesses I’d have to bribe later to keep them quiet.
Today, when I am really in a funky funk, my husband always asks…Did you write your morning pages today?
The darn things always work whether you believe they will or not.
LindaFormichelli
Said this on December 2nd, 2007 at 12:56pm:Sheryl, that’s interesting…I’ve been using the MP more like a journal, which may not be the “right” way. I should probably approach it in a more playful way.
Kathy
Said this on December 12th, 2007 at 10:32pm:Has anyone else found doing morning pages REDUCED their
creative output?
I have about four years worth of morning pages and really didn’t start writing
fiction until I STOPPED writing morning pages.
My morning pages were usually filled with angst.
I finally realized that I wasn’t writing anything else BUt morning pages and when
I tried I was associating writing with negative feelings.
Sorry Julia, morning pages for me were great for getting out my feelings but
didn’t add to my creative output at all.
Writing Blog » Blog Archive » The Wednesday Web Browser: Simsubs at Glimmer Train, Avoiding Burnout, and NYTBR Notable Books
Said this on January 2nd, 2008 at 10:39pm:[...] Glimmer Train now accepts simultaneous submissions.==========I probably could have used some of these anti-burnout tips from Linda Formichelli when I was freelancing full-time.==========‘Tis the season for lists. [...]
Layla
Said this on July 13th, 2009 at 1:09pm:Interesting about the morning pages!!
I’ve at times done them too, & at times I did plain old journalling, or some sort of getting-organized/to do lists etc (or a combination of those)..
I guess it depends how you do them & what you write..
If you keep dwelling in the angst it may be negative, if you do ‘worst case scenarios’ (possibly into absurdity, until you can laugh about them, or find new & better solutions!!) it may all be helpful..
I have some really funny short stories inspired by my own terror!
The idea of Artist’s Dates is new to me, thanks!
& WOW, writing for Oxygen!!
I bow in admiration!!