Refilling the Well: Bouncing Back from Creative Burnout

By Sean Brenner

Everyone suffers from burnout now and again. A full work schedule will eventually leave anyone feeling drained, even without all the other nonsense life inflicts on us. 

This is especially true for professionals working in creative fields. Exercising creativity takes a lot out of you, and it requires more than many other kinds of knowledge work. These sorts of tasks demand your full attention, and they often demand imagination as well.

Writing and editing are creative work, and both are draining. This means that professional writers and editors must be able to manage creative fatigue on top of ordinary burnout. We also need to know how to recover creative energy after a project drains it—something a creative writing professor of mine liked to refer to as “refilling the well.” Otherwise, we won’t be at our best for the next project. 

First, though, we need to be able to recognize creative fatigue before or as it happens.

Recognizing Creative Fatigue

The cause of creative fatigue is generally the same for everyone: You don’t have enough creative energy to apply to your particular project. The results tend to be the same, as well: You struggle to complete your work. What work you manage to get done—if you can get it done—is usually substandard.

It’s especially important to catch the signs of creative fatigue early so that you can do something about it before it starts seriously impacting your work. Some common warning signs include:

• Lack of focus. You might shift from project to project or start thinking about your summer vacation. Wherever your mind goes, it won’t stay put.
• Increased procrastination. We all procrastinate to some degree. If you notice it increasing, though, be aware! 
• A lack of passion. This is always the big red flag for me. When you just can’t get into a topic, it might not be the topic’s fault. 
• A lack of words. When it starts becoming difficult to find the right words to use, you may need to recharge. 

Pay attention when you’re writing. What other obstacles pop up that could be a sign of creative fatigue? What’s different for you in a moment of writing difficulty?

It’s also important to keep your general health in mind. Our creative energy will diminish when we’re sick, stressed, overtired, or otherwise not at our mental and physical best.

Once you’ve identified creative fatigue, you’re ready to do something about it.

Refilling the Creative Well

When your creative well has run dry because of poor mental or physical health, focus on getting better. Get plenty of rest, drink your fluids, and follow any doctor’s orders. Only force yourself to be creative when sick when you absolutely must. 

When it’s “only” your creative energy that’s tapped out, how can you refill the well? The key is to do something you find creatively stimulating, especially something you can let yourself get absorbed in. That will be different for everyone, much like creative fatigue itself, but ideally, it should help you get out of your own head. The best ways to refill the well are tasks that provide creative inspiration, a change in environment or stimuli, or another sort of variety in your life.

When you’re doing creative work full time, you’ll need to find a method of refilling the well that you can do every day, or at least very regularly. This could include:

• Reading a book
• Spending some time outside, such as taking a walk or stargazing (my personal favorite)
• Doing something creative in a different creative field, such as drawing if you’re a professional writer

Whatever your preferred method, you’ll also want some variety. If your preferred method becomes stale, it won’t help as much. Be sure to try something new now and again.

Bigger activities like long hikes, vacations, or committing to a really good book series are generally even better for refilling the well. Naturally, these aren’t the sorts of things you can do daily, but making sure you’re able to live a little from time to time goes a long way towards staving off creative fatigue. Even just planning a bigger break can help; knowing that there’s relief on the horizon can give you the extra boost you’re looking for.

Live a Little

No matter what you do, if you don’t get some rest, you won’t be able to work, no matter how hard you push yourself. The same principle applies to creativity; it just requires different forms of rest. Make sure you get enough.