Has it ever been more difficult to be a creative? Quite honestly, yes. Every year has its ups and downs – that’s just how it goes. But there’s no denying the 2020s have been especially intense. So, ahead of International Self-Care Day, we checked in with our community to find out how they’re looking after their health and well-being.
If you’re not familiar with this global event, it’s observed every year on 24 July – which, funny enough, is also Creative Boom’s birthday. The date, 7/24 or 24/7, is a symbolic reminder that self-care should be practised 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
So, how do we actually make that happen? And avoid misery, burnout and illness? We posed the question on LinkedIn and in our private creative community, The Studio, and gathered the most helpful tips and advice from those who have been there. If you’ve been burning the midnight oil and feeling less than your best, take a few minutes to read their words of wisdom, and maybe try putting a few of them into action.
Get outside – seriously, let go
Time and again, creatives mentioned nature as the first and best place they go to reset. Whether it’s a walk, a run, or just sitting in the garden with a book, the outdoors came up more than anything else.
“I know it’s trite,” said Adrian Beston of Big Pixel, “but I benefit from getting outside and in nature as often as possible.”
“It’s not trite at all,” replied illustrator and writer, Yvie Juniper-Johnson. “I take it for granted that I’ve always had nature nearby. It’s not a reality for so many people to be able to access quiet spaces and real grass to just lie down.”
Others shared how a simple walk clears the mental cobwebs. Syeda Masson said, “Morning walks are a great way to declutter the mind and start the day with fresh energy.” Graphic designer Ed Clews, meanwhile, does a ‘pretend commute’ every morning, walking the block in all weathers. “That little extra gap of time where your brain isn’t actively processing anything does wonders,” he said. And it no doubt helps separate work from life.
Get moving, often
Movement – not to smash goals or hit milestones, but just to shift perspective – came up a lot. Illustrator Alicia Pariso put it perfectly: “Move a muscle, change a thought. If ever I’m having a block or even a slow mind day, I get myself outside to reset.”
Matthew Gallagher swears by a five-mile jog in nature, with no headphones, just the sounds of birdsong. “It helps with mood, releases anger, drives endorphins, lets me play out scenarios and settle back into work when I’m done. Therapy helped, but nothing boosts my mood like getting outside.”
For artist Magdalena Krolik, dance classes like aerial and pole help alleviate stress. “It’s like flipping a switch in my brain,” she said.