For some odd reason I burnout very frequently, or more like I get so brain dead that I literally cannot even come up with an Idea of what to do, let alone act on it. It feels like when I even try to start I get so exhausted that I have to lay down.
It always happens after I’m the most productive, but my down time feels so much longer than the time I get to create. I’d say I have at least 4 days to a week of productivity, and about 2 - 3 weeks of burnout. It’s nuts.
The cycle repeats, though it can vary wildly in how long each part is.
I’m starting to get hella annoyed since I haven’t drawn a thing in over a year and I was finally getting back into the groove at least doodling daily, just to be derailed hard.
I was thinking that I just lack creativity, but it became this catch-22 of “I have to actually draw with purpose and make things that I enjoy” and “I am so fucking tired that even opening a sketchbook or cleaning makes me want to take a nap / drop into a dead sleep”.
What are your thoughts?
This is not a medical advice. And if you experience burnouts returning frequently, that‘s what you might wanna get.
However, I noticed, when I started to work in a regular job, I was able to work all year without the need of taking time off. I was used to it, since I was self-employed before that. After the first few years at this new job I started to feel the same things you‘ve felt (but maybe not to the extremes you‘ve described). So (with the lovely advice from my SO), I decided to take all my accumulated time off and we went to a place, where I really was able to turn off my phone, let my mind wander and together we explored new things. After 3 weeks, I felt not burned out anymore and was able to perform.
This lasted for about 5 months after which I took another vacation. Now I try to take at least a week off each quarter. With a longer vacation once a year if time allows.
So, what I want to say: take time off where you can stop thinking about your occupation (and anything like social media or emails). Try to learn something new (if you want to be productive) that isn‘t tied to goals or deadlines (and don‘t try to make this new hobby a profession) or you will find yourself in a worse cycle with two jobs. Even better, immerse yourself in something unproductive.