We have all been there. That moment when you are working on a project and suddenly, you feel drained. You might be feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, or just plain tired. This is graphic design burnout, and it can be very dangerous to your career. In this blog post, we will discuss what graphic design burnout is, and how to avoid it. We will also provide some tips for finding your rhythm in life and work!
Winter has come to an end, which means that spring has sprung. In this new season, I’m taking some time to pause and rest with my family. But what’s important about that is understanding that in life and in business, you need to become three-dimensional. This is something my mentor Nicholas Bayerle taught me, and it’s something that’s very important for you. So today I’m going to talk a little bit about being a three-dimensional designer, and what that actually means.Â
What Is Graphic Design Burnout?
Graphic design burnout is a state of mental and physical exhaustion that can be caused by many factors. Some common causes include working long hours, taking on too many projects, or feeling like you are not meeting your creative potential. Burnout can lead to a decrease in productivity, creativity, and motivation. It can also cause physical symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, and insomnia. If left unchecked, graphic design burnout can damage your career and personal life.
How Does Graphic Design Burnout Manifest?
Graphic design burnout can manifest in a lot of ways besides the obvious creative block associated with burnout. It can be physical, like headaches or neck pain. It can be mental, like anxiety or depression. It can also be emotional, like feeling irritable or short-tempered. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you might be suffering from graphic design burnout.
What Are The Causes Of Graphic Design Burnout?
There are a few different causes of graphic design burnout, but the most common one is stress. Stress comes from a lot of different places when we’re talking about graphic design. It could be things like tight deadlines, unrealistic expectations, or even just comparisonitis – which is when we compare our work to other designers and feel like we’re not good enough.
There have been too many times in the beginning of my career when I burned myself out. I mean, I can’t even begin to tell you how many 20-hour or 24-hour shifts I had where I was just working my tail off for years on end. That is not a way to live; that’s not a way to thrive. That is called surviving, and in business, you should not be surviving – you should be thriving. So that’s what I wanted to write this article about today: talking about becoming a three-dimensional designer.
How to Avoid Graphic Design Burnout
There are several things you can do to avoid graphic design burnout, but mostly they boil down to this simple bit of wisdom: Find a work/life balance that actually works. This is important for all aspects of your life, but it is especially important if you are prone to burning out. Make this balance–this rhythm–a priority by being judicious when accepting new projects, managing your workload, and scheduling time for yourself and your family.
What Does Work/Life Balance Look Like?
I wanted to take a quick minute to show you guys where I was around this time last year. In the video, we are in Mount Shasta. I was there with my family to take some special time to reconnect and get ready for the rest of the year. This is the end of the first quarter of 2022, and I spent the end of the first quarter of 2021 there with the family – the people that I love most in the world. They are why I do what I do. Having that time to spend with the people I love and the freedom to travel and just take in the wealth that nature provides is my ideal work/life balance. That ideal looks different for everyone, and this is mine.
Three-Dimensional Designers Conquer Graphic Design Burnout
What is a three-dimensional designer? Well, a three-dimensional designer is somebody who focuses on their health, their wealth, and their relationships. These are important in life and in business, and without these, you’re never going to be able to find a rhythm. Whenever I talk about work/life balance, I like to make sure people understand that there is an ebb and a flow that makes it more of a rhythm. Everybody’s different but I believe that in life you need to have a rhythm and a pace that you go at that is sustainable because the most important things are your relationships, your health, and your wealth.
Relationships
Three-dimensional designers focus on their family, friends, and relationships they have at work. These are very important relationships that will help you feel success and fulfillment. It is important to have a relationship with yourself as well, and with God. Being able to take time to reflect and spend time with yourself is also very important. I’ve gotten some of that time here in the mornings to do that, just like right now. I have been investing in my personal relationships. I have continued investing in my marriage because it is the thing that I hold dearest in my life, besides the relationship with my kids. These are the most special people in my world, and it is important that I nurture my relationships in order to sustain them and help them grow and evolve as I grow and evolve myself.
Health
The second thing is your health. Without health, you have nothing. If you forget this and you’re in a hospital bed or you can’t walk and you can’t enjoy the beautiful splendors of life, what good is it? Your health is really important, so I want you to get up in the morning, I want you to do some workouts, I want you to focus on eating a healthy meal, and I want you to do some stretching. These are the things that I’ve been working on doing better at because I’ve gotten very comfortable over the years. This is something that I’ve learned through mentorship, training, and accountability: to stop doing is not just be focused on work but focus on your health and your relationships.
Wealth
The last thing in terms of priority is your wealth. Wealth is important because it helps you buy things that you need to take care of your family, like food, water, and whatever other basic supplies you need to survive. However, wealth also helps you afford things like this, where you can come out and see beautiful landscapes and nature. We can spend time on the river and enjoy the people we love most in the world. So if you’re a new graphic designer and you’re really struggling with your wealth, I’m focused on helping you build a six-figure business. I want to help you build a six-figure business and beyond.
Final Thoughts on Avoiding Graphic Design Burnout
As I move into my seven-figure world, I want to be able to teach you guys everything that I’ve learned over my six-figure journey. My dream is to help you guys become more well-rounded and give you the financial resources you need to scale it to the next level and really live the life of your dreams. You deserve to live the life of your dreams, and that’s what I want to help you do. So thank you guys so much for reading. I wanted to keep this one a little extra short because I want this to be easy to remember. I just wanted to take some time to talk with you all. I love each and every one of you, and I thank you for reading. I’ll see you on the next article. God bless, and as always, keep looking up.