Burnout is now an official diagnosis of the World Health Organization; up to 50% of medical professionals are experiencing burnout at any given time, so what does that mean for creatives or the general population? Symptoms include feelings of energy depletion or emotional exhaustion, feeling withdrawn from work life, interests and social life, feelings of anxiety, negativism or cynicism or an inability to sleep restoratively. Even if you love your job (ahem…creatives, architects, designers) living in a constant crush-it culture is a zero-sum game susceptible to burnout. And according to Melissa Hanley, principal and founder successful Silicon Valley firm, Blitz, “When you have burnt-out employees you get burnt-out solutions. Three ways to recover from burnout, or prevent it in the first place are:
- Get enough sleep. Sleep has invaluable, magically restorative powers. Essential detox functions at the cellular level occur during deep sleep.
- Take intentional / meaningful pauses in life. Enact a daily practice that creates “white space” or “breathing room” in your life.
- Stay curious. Take time to engage in an activity or learn about something riveting. Do what energizes and brings joy; so whether it’s story telling, writing a book, playing with puppies or gardening::Just do it::
yogaXdesign’s yoga-based continuing education workshops expand awareness in daily life, and help creatives renew themselves on a daily basis. Namastaycations hosted in Wauconda, Illinois, restore attendees with yoga, meditation, art and nature.