So it’s now June and half of the year is gone and I can feel that creative burnout smell and I better do something about it, or else, I will be spooning my whole summer with the crash and burn aftereffects. I am being more aware that I need to take care of myself so that I can take care of my practice and also encourage the importance of self care in my clients. As a creative arts therapist and counsellor I have decided to take myself out of feeling the need to be creative 100% and have decided to take a break from the traditional meaning of creativity, in different ways.
So here is one main tip that I have started to implement as I am beginning to prevent the dreaded emotional drain of batteries. ‘Take a break’ is my latest mantra and I have been sharing ideas with my colleagues, at workshops and with my clients and it’s amazing how many conversations are being generated around self care and self advocacy. A study by the University of Illinois has shown that the brain’s resources drop after a long period of focus, which hinders overall performance. Even a brief time away can restore the brain’s ability to think creatively.
So, here are 50 ways to take a break:
- Take a bath
- Listen to music
- Take a nap
- Go to a body of water
- Watch the clouds
- Watch the stars
- Fly a kite
- Let out a sigh
- Rest your legs up on a wall
- Light a candle
- Learn something new
- Read a book
- Sit in nature
- Write a letter
- Move twice as slowly
- Meander around the house
- Call a friend
- Meditate
- Take deep belly breaths
- Write a journal
- Notice your body
- Walk outside
- Go for a stroll
- Smell or buy flowers
- Find a relaxing scent (if you are not allergic)
- View some art
- Create your own coffee break
- Pet a furry creature (if you are not allergic)
- Go to a park
- Daydream
- Turn off electronics
- Eat a meal in silence
- Examine an everyday object with fresh eyes
- Walk or drive somewhere new
- Go to a framers or community market
- Forgive someone
- Read, listen or watch something funny
- Engage in small acts of kindness
- Let go of something
- Play in a jungle gym
- Make some music
- Color with crayons
- Do some gentle stretches
- Paint on a surface other than paper
- Walk on grass with bare fee
- Write a quick poem
- Put on some music and dance
- Give thanks
- Laugh with children
- Make a mess and then clean up
I am not following any order but have started to take ownership for de-braining and hope that these will help to reconnect my neural pathways in more than 50 ways and rewire for some amazing bursts of creative genius in my work and personal life. So give some of them try and see if you can also come up with something on your own!
*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA