Happy Sunday everyone,
Today's newsletter is going to be a short (but valuable) one. I've been busy this week outlining my JHB case study article. I originally wanted to get it out today, but I decided not to rush it. It'll be worth the wait, I promise.
That said, I haven't really been feeling like myself this week. Creativity was lackluster. Felt like I was fighting a cold. Mental health was in a rut.
Most of that can be traced back to the fact that I got a combined 8 hours of sleep over the weekend while traveling (and a little hangover, but let's not talk about that).
Nonetheless, it's never fun to experience that — especially when there's content to create and work to be done!
So, today I want to walk you through how I deal with creative ruts. This isn't gospel. This isn't anything you have to do. It's what works for me. That said, I do think it's helpful to have a process for navigating these times, and this may provide some inspo for you.
Oh, and if you're new around here be sure to subscribe:
What I do when I'm creatively burnt the f*ck out
First, know when to force it and when to back off. There's a difference between feeling lazy and legitimately needing a break. If your body is giving you the middle finger and telling you to chill out, no "hack" or trick is going to get around that. If you keep pushing, you will burn out.
The way I approach this is by pushing through "one more day."
If I wake up the next day and still feel like I'm heading in the wrong direction, I'll take my foot off the gas. That's what happened this week. I went about Monday as normal — woke up at 5:30am, got my work done, did my training session, etc — and woke up Tuesday still feeling like garbage.
Of course, if you have a deadline to hit, you may just have to grind through it. Context matters. But, at least have the awareness to know that a break is coming around the corner.
Here’s what happens when I use this strategy:
At best, the rut was fleeting and I proceed as normal.
At worst, I pushed one more day and still feel the same. In that case, I still get valuable information. I know to step away, before it's too late.
Here's what's interesting. You'll find that some of your best ideas come to you during that time away from your work. While you're working out, while you're showering, while you're hanging out with friends... any time when you're not burning your retinas staring into a computer monitor.
So, don't be afraid to pull back. Your best ideas just might come from that.
Also, side note — you may not be able to take complete days off. That's fine. To be honest, I haven't. But, what you can do is only get work done that you absolutely need to. No busy work, no side projects, only mission-critical tasks.
Now, what do you do during that time away?
If you're a morning person like me — don't be afraid to sleep in. I usually get up around 5:30-6am on a daily basis. I feel most productive in the AM, and get my most creative work done then.
But, this past week I've slept till 8-9am consistently. Why? My body needed it.
Also, pay attention to your workout intensity. While work is a mental stressor, working out is a significant physical stressor. Pushing too hard in the gym can contribute to burnout as well. Not to mention, if your body is run down, your injury risk goes up. Play it safe.
Still make it a point to move, but consider dialing back the intensity. If you go to the gym, you should leave feeling better than when you got in (not like you're about to pass out). If you want to take some time off from the gym, try to get outside for 2-3 short walks every day. Low intensity movement, especially outside, does wonders.
If you haven't been moving or eating right at all... well, there's where to start. Let me know if you need any advice here. Happy to put on my "nutrition coach" hat back on for a bit.
If you've noticed, a lot of what I've discussed so far is physical. When you physically feel good, you mentally feel more creative. Other things to focus on here include your food, hydration, getting outside in sunlight, etc. Give yourself a few days of this and tell me you don't feel a difference.
Now, from the mental side, I need to be very clear. This is pretty much a "blind leading the blind" situation LOL. I'm still figuring this one out.
But, one thing I notice that drastically impacts my ability to recharge is how I use social media. When you're feeling down mentally, social media can be brutal.
It can be exhausting to see everyone's life highlights when you're not in the best place mentally.
From personal experience, I make the effort to cheer on others' wins. I love see others do well. But when I'm in a rut, seeing people crushing projects, hitting career milestones, traveling all over the place, etc. can pile on easily.
If you ever look at my content and think I’ve got it remotely close to figured out — I don’t. Nobody does.
So, if you need to, take time away from social. At the very least, be aware of how you're using it. Unfollow people, mute people, etc. I've done plenty of that in the past 4-5 days. Whatever you need to do to allow yourself to really enjoy your time off.
The biggest mental shift that has helped me become okay with taking time off is viewing the time off as part of the work itself.
Think about it as if you're lifting weights. Sure, the workouts are crucial. Without the hard work in the gym, you won't build muscle. We know that.
But, you don't actually build muscle in the gym. You literally tear it down inside the gym.
You build when you're recovering, relaxing, sleeping. Without proper rest and recovery, muscle growth doesn't happen. Rather, you'll end up hurting yourself and setting yourself back a few months.
It's the same in your content creation and creativity. The grind is important. You'll have to push through at times. Sacrifices need to be made. But your best ideas can’t manifest when you’re burnt out on the brink of losing it mentally.
Do things you enjoy. For me that looks like reading, watching anime (just started HxH), spending time with friends, hitting the gym if I feel up for it, etc.
So, remember — recovery is part of the work.
As you’ve seen, none of this is “revolutionary.” It’s simple AF. Thing is, it works — and we rarely ever do it. We try to grind through, only to be left even deeper in the abyss of burnout.
So, consider changing that. I know I’m trying to.
Now, I'd love to hear from you. What's your favorite way to recharge when you're in a creative rut? Anything that I missed? Shoot me a reply to this and let me know.
Pull up a seat, stay a while
Finally, if you're new around here and found this valuable, drop your email right here so I can get this in your inbox on time every week:
Next week’s case study is gonna be a good one.
See you next Sunday at 9am PST,
Tommy
PS - want to work together to build your brand? Book a call and let's talk.