Creative Downtime

Creative Downtime

Let us get something straight: it’s okay to be burned out. I think it’s safe to say that, if you have just begun waltzing your way in this business, one of the things that should be on your expectations list is you will get burned out. What’s not okay is to be burned out all the time.

   That being said, you can still have your downtime while feeding your creative energy, and no, I’m not talking about cigarette breaks. Here’s a list of creative downtime activities you can try.

1. Watch a film

Of course, you’ve guessed this is on the list. Watching a movie is one of the most relaxing things you can do while still learning. Try watching a movie from a genre you are interested in writing about. There’s one for everything.

However, if you want to finish any type of work, don’t start on TV series. I may get flak for saying this but if you’re on a tight schedule and you’ve allotted just a few hours of downtime, TV series will mess you up. One day you’re just beginning your first episode and before you realize you’re on day three and you haven’t taken a shower and have eaten nothing but cup noodles and chips.

2. Attend shows

May it be theater shows, improv comedy, spoken word, or just about any event shows you’ll see in your Facebook events. Not only can the shows inspire you what to write next, but you can meet people who can either become part of your connections or become your next character.

3. Take a walk

Here’s an advice I read somewhere and now I pass it unto you. When you walk, try to keep your head up. Literally: look up. Look around you as well. You’ll pick something up. People tend to walk with their heads down and on autopilot. Try to be aware of your surroundings and be present. You’ll never know when epiphany will hit you, but it certainly won’t if you’re half-dead walking.

4. Listen to a Podcast

Just like a college lecture, only you get to choose which ones you want to listen to. Listening to other people’s stories, opinions, and expertise is a great way to oil the wheels and get you going again. You don’t have to create scenarios or characters from scratch — podcasts, like films, can inspire you to create your next piece or artwork.

If you don’t know where to start, try Spotify or YouTube. They have tons of Podcasts made available for you.

5. Take a nap

Let’s be real: this might be the only thing you’ll do out of this short list. That’s fine, though. Sleeping can help you to make sense of everything. It’s like how you try to study at night and everything makes absolutely no sense and when you wake up, somehow you’ve connected the dots.

When in doubt, take a nap. You can put that in a mug,

   Don’t be a martyr. In fear of making this sound like a sad self-help book, I’ll say it once: you can put the pen down and take care of yourself. Besides, if your brain cells are all fried you won’t produce content that your readers will want to gobble up. Don’t feel guilty if you unplug and unwind once in a while. Everyone needs it.