Burnout, the one thing that has become more obvious as people take on side-hustles, extra hobbies and commitments alongside their 9-5 or as well as. In the last year, I’ve felt it more and more. Over working is such a common occurrence for anyone running multiple businesses, a blog or side hustle as we get home and keep on working after our day job. Even as a freelancer, we take on more projects than we can handle at fear of not having enough work or never knowing when to switch off.
So here’s my tips on how to avoid burnout as a blogger, freelancer or creative!
Listen to yourself
The most obvious physical signs of burning out are headaches, migraines, tired eyes, feeling run down like you’re about to get ill, grumpiness and mood swings. It can also be a part of feeling like an imposter, FOMO or general self doubt. If you start to feel one of these symptoms, you start to spiral because you normally worry that you’re about to get ill and that then makes you burn out further. Listen to what your body is saying, it’s the warning sign that you’ve done too much, your brain is a muscle after all, you wouldn’t do a gym session for 10+ hours a day, so don’t over work the brain too much.
The only person who puts pressure on is you
As blogs turn more into side hustles and career sidelines, bloggers are putting so much pressure on themselves to commit to schedules and constant turn around. Have you ever noticed how bloggers often apologise for not posting something or being out of action for a few days. Why do we apologise for something that no one has said was wrong?
An apology is only ever needed if you’ve done something wrong – having time off and not working does not warrant an apology. You don’t see Alan Sugar apologising to his business contacts because he had a day off, do you? Unless you’ve had a major deadline to complete, then that’s the only time there’s pressure to get things completed to a set time. Just missing a blog post that you said you’d post, is not a reason to apologise. Burnout comes from us putting a lot of pressure on ourselves and over-doing it so take time off when you need to and don’t feel bad about it! I promise you, people are too busy worrying about their own social presence that they’re not focusing on yours.
Do things because you want to and DON’T insta it!
As bloggers we are prone to sharing EVERYTHING we do with the world but when was the last time you went out for dinner somewhere because you really wanted to AND don’t take a photo of your plate. It feels so refreshing to go somewhere and not feel the pressure to share it with the world. Remember that when you’re out and taking photos etc, you’re in work mode. Learn to switch off with the things that are meant for leisure. The evenings and weekends are your down time so stop drowning in work and enjoy your favourite things to do.
Leave the comparison game behind
This is SO much easier said than done but we often burn out because we try to keep up with the latest trends and news to share. More often than not we feel like we have to post about events and products as soon as possible to be noticed. You can’t miss out at fear of not being noticed. I used to get really beat up about not being everyone’s favourite but your blog should reflect you as a person, so stop trying to be other people. The best way to be authentic is to be yourself every single time. That should reflect in your social presence and it will allow you to relax once you accept it.
Burn out is all about learning
Once you notice one of the symptoms of burn out (you name it, tiredness, headaches, guilt, FOMO, imposter syndrome etc etc) you’ll learn and reflect. You can’t ever stop burnout as a creative because it’s in our nature to keep working, but you can spot the signs and stop it in its tracks. When you notice you’re burning out, relax, take time out and pause. Even if it means giving a night in front of the TV, turning your phone off or going out for dinner, take yourself to a happy place and stop.
You have annual leave (or the ability to be flexible as a freelancer) so utilise it.
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What’s your biggest sign you’re about to burn out? Do you find it hard to switch off in the evenings?
Photos: Ami Ford Photography