What happens when creatives burn the candle at both ends? Have you heard someone say “when it’s nice out, I feel like a different person”! As we all defrost from winter with summer sunshine outside our windows, it feels like the perfect time to discuss the importance of mental health awareness. Let’s dive into the very real reality of content creation burnout for storytellers, and some useful tips on how to combat the evitable season that every creative must face at some point in their careers. But how does one unplug when being plugged in is their literal job? Let’s discuss. Content burnout is just like any other type of job-related burnout. It is a time when doing your work becomes more difficult than usual. Whether it be felt through writing, designing or video production, content creation burnout can affect your productivity and performance in a digital world where timing is everything.
Schedule a digital detox into your daily grind.
Maintaining a good work-life balance is vital for overall well-being. Creatives are working around the clock, and while the work done is viewed as fun by many, and on many levels, it truly is, at the end of the day, it is still work. Working that much like any other task in any other profession takes a lot of brain power. Creative juices cannot always be flowing, you know? Scheduling some much-deserved ‘me-time’ into your planner can sometimes be the perfect pit-stop on your way to inspiration. Set aside time for things that make you feel relaxed. Things that help you recharge at the end of a productive day, week, or month. These simple, yet effective choices can really help with long-term mental well-being and aid in setting boundaries for future projects, assignments, or even daily to-dos. It is true that a downward dog can really help avoid a downward spiral.
Explore new environments, both online and offline.
As a creative, it is important to know your limits. Know when you need to take a break. Know when you need to disconnect. Know when you need to surround yourself with a change of scenery. What’s great too is that a change of scenery can mean multiple things. It could mean a walk to the nearest coffee shop to refuel or taking a break to catch up on the latest episode of that reality TV show you swear is garbage but can’t stop binging. A change of scenery can also be as simple as moving to a different room in your apartment or bringing in some extra plant babies to lovingly stare at. These are all ways to switch up your offline experience when you are AFK, but what about the online world? As creatives, we spend probably more time than we’d like to admit in the online world, so it is important to see the signs of burnout when you are constantly scrolling. We all need to explore and change up our feed just as much as our physical surroundings. Take note of the accounts that are popping up on your For You page over and over – are they motivating you? Are they stemming new ideas? Are they making you feel like you are not doing enough? Take some time every now and again to reset your online environment by cleansing your following list, exploring different channels, and searching hashtags to find inspiration. Swipe right and ghost on anything that is no longer serving you.
SOS: Asking for a friend.
Ever wonder why TikTok or YouTube videos do twice as good when two creators collaborate on their content? I mean, duh, they have twice the audience size to engage, but they also have twice the creative ideas to pitch. Engaging in conversation and leaning on the people that inspire you can be the perfect solution to content fatigue. When you know you’ve hit a wall, reached your limits and need a boost, go to the people that make you feel excited to tackle that next project or inspired to learn more. Collaboration and teamwork can offer valuable insight and give you the confidence to sit back down at your laptop and create. When there is too much on your plate, (and it’s not the delicious carb food that we all enjoy), having a friend, colleague, or partner to support you can really lift that weight off your shoulders. Sorry Fergie, you won’t catch us up in the gym working on our fitness this time. These special people in your life can serve as a witness to your growth and engage you in looking at a project differently to reach your end goal.
See ya, burnout.
While content creation burnout is inevitably going to come knocking, it is important to know the tips to send it on its way. Facing content creation burnout can happen to the most passionate creatives, who absolutely love what they do – remind yourself that it is a very normal part of our profession. And so, the next time you are feeling uninspired, we encourage you to try one of the above and remember to take some of the pressure to create off. Your mental well-being is an important part of your work-life balance. Creative juices will flow again, we promise you. 
Danielle Smith (She/Her), Content Creator – Blog Writer Danielle has spent most of her career focused on creating content for various organizations. She has managed marketing projects for the public sector, post-secondary education, and small businesses since 2015. 
Mariah Braun (She/Her), M3M Marketing Owner, Director of Business Development & Content Creator – Blog Editor Mariah, Owner of M3M Marketing, has spent most of her career focused on creating content for various organizations. She has managed marketing projects for the public sector, post-secondary education, and small businesses since 2015.