How do you handle burnout or creative blocks in your independent work?

I find that 1-hour sprints followed by 10 minute breaks work for me. Some have longer or shorter focus blocks.

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I pick another client. Also it's important to be VERY flexible on your needs, and not have your life driven by money.

When facing burnout, I prioritize self-care by taking a step back to recharge, ensuring I get enough rest, exercise, and time in nature. For creative blocks, I switch contexts or engage in a different creative activity to reset my perspective and spark new ideas.

Prioritise self care, take a few breaks, or go out

I meditate for 2 hours a day, take frequent breaks, seek inspiration from different sources, change my environment and take walks without my phone or headphones. This gives me good stamina.

I can't handle, here to see how you do hahaha

When I hit a creative block, I step away and switch up my routine, like going for a walk or trying a new hobby to reset. It's also helpful to connect with other creators who understand the struggle and can offer a fresh perspective.

I have 24 meetings today :(

That's a great question! I've recently been trying out https://www.producthunt.com/prod... and have found it to be a big help. Basically you pose a problem and then it asks you questions until you feel clear / unblocked (similar to how you'd soundboard with a person).

It might be controversial, but I’ve found that I need to have at least 2 “projects” to be working on. By projects I mean 1 of them is obviously the main thing you’re working on, but having a second “mini” side project is a great way to give your self a break, but still be productive. For example, I’m working on a software atm, and in the side I’ve been tinkering around with growing a fitness related Instagram page. Having that page and treating it as a mini project gives me an outlet to take a breath from software, while also serving as a vehicle to learn different skills. And who knows…maybe it will continue to grow and turn into something big!

Also, right when you wake up, try to crank out like 1-2 hours of deep hard work by tackling the most pressing issues. No better feeling than getting to the late morning (while buzzing in caffeine) know that you’ve already conquered some (maybe all) of the most pressing tasks for the day.

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When burnout hits, I step back and switch off completely, giving myself permission to rest without guilt. For creative blocks, changing my environment or engaging in a different creative activity, like sketching or walking, helps to reset my mind.

When I'm facing burnout or creative blocks, I step back and engage in a completely different activity, like a physical workout or a nature walk, to reset my mind. It's also helpful to switch contexts, maybe by collaborating with others or seeking out new sources of inspiration to reignite that creative spark.

What seems to work for me is to be with those close to me, it makes me understand that no matter how important my project is, what is really important is elsewhere.

I'm super competitive, so whenever I feel burned out I try to reignite that spark in myself. The best way to do that is by looking at work that makes me jealous. Nothing gets me more motivated than imagining a peer I really respect seeing my work and thinking "Damn that's clever!" or "Why didn't I think of that?" I also find it helpful to have a "bad ideas only" meeting if you're hitting a wall. Giving yourself permission to have stupid ideas is so liberating and leads to unexpected breakthroughs more often than not.

Taking a walk outside with no tech is a great help to clear out the mind. The creative block breaks while doing non-work stuff. Has anyone else observed that too?