09/09/2026
how i avoid burnout as a designer:
things that have completely changed the way i work
[each picture has its own caption… swipe]
MY MORNINGS + NIGHTS ARE MINE.
I’ve built solid morning and nighttime routines with little to no screen time.
I don’t want work to be the first thing I consume when I wake up or the last thing on my mind before bed.
I SAY NO.
Not every project needs to be MY project. Ya feel me?
I’ve gotten much more comfortable saying no to clients or projects that don’t align with my aesthetic, interests, or the direction I want my work to go.
Creative energy is a resource. I’m careful about where I spend it.
I ACTUALLY SLEEP.
I used to regularly work until 3–4am. Now I’m usually asleep between 12–1am and up around 8:30am.
Turns out my best ideas do not, in fact, require sleep deprivation.
I STOP WHILE I’M STILL EXCITED.
This one is probably the most confusing. How can I stop mid hyperfixation or work flow? I’ve learned to intentionally stop.
Leaving something unfinished gives me something I’m genuinely excited to come back to tomorrow, and keeps me from completely draining the creative battery in one sitting.
I MOVE.
Walks. Gym. Pilates. Dance. Literally just getting away from my computer.
Some of my best ideas happen when I’m nowhere near Illustrator.
I LEAVE THE HOUSE TO GET INSPIRED.
Museums. A funky restaurant. A movie at the theater. The beach. Sometimes just walking around somewhere new.
I purposely make time to experience things outside of design because I want to find inspiration in all of the little things…. not just on Pinterest or my screen.
I TIME BLOCK EVERYTHING.
Design time. Emails. Admin. Calls. Content. Breaks. And I would be lying if I told you I haven’t scheduled showers and morning routine routines before. Yes, it IS that serious.
Otherwise every task feels equally urgent, I bounce between 47 different things, and somehow nothing gets done.
I HAVE CREATIVE HOBBIES THAT DON’T MAKE ME MONEY.
I sew. I love jewelry making. I bedroom DJ. I scrapbook. I love curating music playlists.
Having creative outlets outside of design gives