Creative Burnout: How I Overcome Blocks as an Artist

9/21/25

Nature + Music + Exercise

There have been MANY times where you sometimes just can’t think of great ideas right away. You’re staring at a blank piece of paper, ready to sketch something. Anything. Except, it just doesn’t come to you. One of the best ways to help cope with burnout and creative blocks is to leave the spot you were just in and come back after awhile, even if it’s just 10 minutes. Within those small minutes, you can grab your earphones or headphones, run out the door or another room and go for a quick walk, stretch or climb some stairs nearby. The walk helps get your blood rushing while stretching your body helps feel less tense. Music has the power to relax you as well and mentally takes you to another place. These combined might not be the permanent fix for burnout or creative blocks, but even temporary relief from those issues is sure to help you feeling better and overcome obstacles. Sometimes I would grab a sketchbook and sketch what I saw in a park, sitting on a bench in the warm sunny weather. This helped me get surrounded by nature. Even a small amount of time sitting in natural sunlight impacts the bodies energy levels and has the power to boost your mood. Get into a routine of doing this each day you work and it will feel almost like second nature to get into the right headspace and overcome these blocks. Even when you don’t feel like doing any of it, doing it anyway in the long run really does help the mind and body relax from stressors.

If you are not motivated by any means and struggle through the work day to get through, another method that helps me is to reframe the situation. Instead of looking at it as having zero motivation to getting things done or overcoming those obstacles, reframe the situation and tell yourself once you get 10 minutes, 30 minutes, or an hour of work done, etc. then reward yourself by telling your self you will get a cup of coffee or your favorite treat right after your finish the amount of work you need to get done. For example, if you have to complete a project within a few hours but are too burned out to think, start small. Do a task that you don’t need to think as much to get it done. Such as creating a mood board online and filling it with inspiration, which requires less thinking and you can get done. Then, reward yourself for completing the task with a favorite coffee or snack for motivating yourself and completing the task. These small accomplishments can have a huge impact to drive more motivation when you have zero motivation. You get the task done, then get a reward right after. It is an easier temporary fix for burnout that you can do as many times as you want and accomplish your goals at the same time.

Pushing through the Struggle

I can understand the feeling of burnout and creative blocks so powerful you feel very unmotivated to start the day. Things that make you feel stuck and unable to get out of bed in the morning. Sometimes that personal or client project your working on just isn’t what someone else is looking for or it doesn’t drive sales and help your business grow, or no one notices the work you create. Sometimes you are your only support when no on else supports the work you work hard on and create and you are your only support and motivation. When no one buys your artwork, not friends or family or strangers, no one shares or comments on the hours of hard work you put into creating and crafting, it’s just you and your motivation to keep going and keep pushing through the struggle. The storm in the dark. The block in the road. Your creative journey of ups and downs. Like a rollercoaster at full speed before the harsh stop. The burnout struggle can’t win. There needs to be a balance of hard work and reward. These are just some ways that can help your journey and help you push through each day a little more at a time.

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