March 26th, 2012
Burning Out, Recharging & Studio News
Finding a place to pause in the things that I love is often really difficult for me. When I’m on a roll with cooking, I want to stay up all night making the next recipe in my queue. When I’m almost at the end of a book, I want to get to the end no matter what, and when I’m working on designing a website for a client it’s really difficult to get me away from the computer. Because of that tendency (and in spite of knowing myself!) I often work until I have no more gas in my tak and then take a big break. This weekend I reached that point, took the weekend off to be with friends and family, sleep as much as I needed, and spend a little time offline. It was such a necessary, restorative time and this morning I woke up feeling turbo charged with passion and happiness.
Thank goodness! It was that or curl up in my sock drawer and sleep for days. I would love to know how you keep your self from falling into a full bore + burn out cycle, or if you embrace it as part of how you explore your passions. Any tips?
At the same time, I’m not surprised that I’ve been a bit worn out- there has been a lot on the go, including a string of big news & little pick-me-ups that have been surprising and new:
▲ Amber turned 25 and we had a Mad Men themed party to celebrate her quarter century. I brought a Dairy Queen ice cream cake, the best birthday cake a person can hope for in life, and everyone loved the nostalgia for birthday parties we went to as little kids ourselves. (Happy birthday, love!!)
▲ I discovered what may be the best pizza in the prairies, at “A Little Pizza Heaven”. It’s beyond amazingly tasty & I almost wish I didn’t know about it because I don’t think my will power is strong enough to help me stay away.
▲ Freckled Nest is moving to a new studio this summer! We’re going to be moving to a new space in South Osborne that’s actually right on Osborne Street, one of the coolest stretches in the city. The space is beautiful, cozy, close to giant parks & within walking distance of my house & favourite restaurants. It’s a little sad to be leaving our current studio but the new space is exactly what we need and I can’t wait to get in there and make it our own.
▲ I’ve found a shade of nail polish that matches my hair exactly, and can’t seem to stop wearing it. [Edit: Becky demanded proof & here it is! :) It’s Essie’s Meet Me At Sunset]
▲ Since our dog guest left last week, my little dogs have been in a power struggle for King of the House. They seem aware that Jesse & I think we’re in control, but are trying to cement their power in spite of it. We are combating the Schipperke Uprising with long walks & asking them to preform tricks. They are not amused.
▲ Freckled Nest has a new online home in addition to the new studio! Our new website launched last month, but I haven’t featured it yet! I designed it, and the header is handmade from vintage vinyl- you can see it here if you’re interested and made a note on the about page that our website is entirely vegan in case anyone thought it was leather :)
▲ Listening to TED talks while I get ready in the morning is a new ritual that makes my days more inspiring & exciting- you should try it out tomorrow morning & see if it makes your day better.
I hope that the start to your week is beautiful! What’s new in your world lately?
What TED talks do you like listening to? There are so many I’m not sure where to start. I do know I love Sarah Kay’s.
The image of the Schipperke Uprising made me smile.
In times like these, I love to feel inspired by this quote: “You can’t burn out until you’ve be on fire.” No advice here, I have the same problem! Glad you’re feeling recharged.
Hahaha…I know what you mean. My main issue is I’m not very good at utilizing the time I DO have, so I often end up cramming the stuff I need to do into random pockets of time instead of planning it out well….so it ends up feeling like I’m never done and I’m almost constantly working on *something.* I’m glad you got a chance to rest!! That is the best feeling. And OMG, I LOVE that nail color, I want to get it now! Awesome red!! <3
I was going to leave a nice & long comment, but now all that I can think of DQ ice cream cake… YUM. We ate some on Friday night & it was DELISH. Did you know they now have smarties centre? Who would want that when there is the delicious COOKIE CRUMBLE?! hahaha.
Your freakin’ hair is so great. I just had to tell you.
Taking a break is super-important! I’m self-employed, and I definitely have trouble taking breaks sometimes–especially if I’m in the middle of a project that I’m really into! I do try and take the weekends off from work, but normally spend them blogging or doing any personal design I want done. And sometimes I just read a book or watch TV, because it’s crazy to think that we can keep going nonstop!
I LOVE YOUR HAIR!!! You look like Fairy Princess, and I mean that in the best way! Thanks for making me smile so often!
Aw, thanks Kim! That’s a really awesome complement- definitely made my night :)
Doing “Something Else” always helps me if I hit the wall– my job tends to be intellectual, so in my spare time I go creative. If I’m doing too much detail work, I shift to something larger scale. I generally just try to round everything out.
That said, if all else fails I check out of reality entirely and visit Azeroth {World of Warcraft}. Nothing like spending a little time chasing murlocs or sneaking up on vrykul or running some dungeon to get me ready to face reality lol~*
Sounds like you have a lot of really cool stuff on the horizon. I’m sort of jealous. I feel like I’m in a weird rut and I need to find a way out. Also, what are your feeling about the Essie nail polishes? I’ve heard mixed reviews about them.
That’s a tough place to be, I completely relate. When I’m in a rut, adding new inspiration into my days (like TED talks) and making sure that I’m getting physically active is what helps me the most. I hope that you turn the corner soon!
I like Essie’s nail polish, but I always find that it’s my top & base coats that really determine how long I get to enjoy my colours, which is what effects my opinion on them most :)
How exciting to be moving to a new studio! I cant wait to see how you decorate and make your workspace beautiful. I really love TED talks. They are my new favorite pasttime.
I have to ask, is “curl up in my sock drawer and sleep for days” a Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie reference? I sure hope so. Whether it is or it isn’t, MST3K always helps me in a funk :)
It so is!! I slip them in here & there in the hopes that other MSTies might find them :) Love that you caught it!
That’s lots of fun news. I love reading about your days. =)
Kacie
What exciting news! Love that your moving to Osborne. Yay!
I totally hear you about burning yourself out. I am the same. If you find a solution to the madness…let me know ;) LOL. Cheers!
I totally get the whole burned out thing, although mine isn’t a result of pursuing a passion, so it’s a bit of a different challenge… I mean, I love numbers and all, but I don’t love them so much that I enjoy spending so much time studying. ;) But I have managed the burned out feeling better later. I make time for reading each night and I rewarded myself with a bike ride at the end of the day yesterday. I’ve figured out a study schedule that allows me to be done studying around 3-4 on the weekends, so I still feel like I get some downtime. And I keep my eye on the prize – which is the test day on June 2nd. Then I get my life back. So my burn out is temporary (until I start all over again in December)!
Burn out is definitely possible in that situation, Lisa- you’re working so hard! And while numbers might not be a passion, your passion & dedication to learning takes a lot out of you. Just imagine how you’ll feel when you’re totally through this- weekends will have new meaning :)
I’m really about going going going until I crash too! I’m trying to get better about that – not scheduling myself so much on the week nights really seems to help. Hope the dogs settle down soon, but I have to say, it was HILARIOUS to hear that on our call last week! And don’t think you’re going to get away with mentioning an awesome nail polish color and not showing a picture. I need proof please!
I thought about posting a second photo in the post but didn’t- clearly I should have! ;)
I’ve edited to include a link, and you can see them here. It’s Meet Me At Sunset by Essie and it’s much more of an orangey-red than it looks on the Essie site :)
Oh my you seem to be singing from the same sheet as me. I have just had a little ‘break’ from online activity as I burnt myself out creatively. I have come to realise it is how I work, and I’m ok with it. I am mad – never see the signs that the burn-out symptoms are there (getting cranky, stressed, getting ill, eating a lot of bad food, losing creative spark)…then BLAM I hit the wall, and just have to sleep, eat well, relax, read, stare at the wall for a few days until I feel rested. I just make sure I have good friends to spend wind-down time with when it hits, that can cook me dinner. Or I look after myself by planning to eat out more than normal. I also try and have my environments as quiet as possible when I am ‘recovering’, only gentle music (this time it was Nick Drake who soothed me back), not much telly or loud noises around me. Sooner or later (for me it was yesterday) I feel like picking up my sketchbook again, or an idea floats through my mind and I feel like I am back and ready! :)
I tend to do the cycle of go-go-go, burn out, recharge and repeat too. I would LOVE to know how to stop that if you get any tips!! Glad you took a weekend off and I can’t wait to hear more about the new space you’re moving into. Love that it’s walking distance for you!
to keep myself from burning out, i throw other activities into the mix. i joined a gym, and that monthly payment is enough to force me to go like twice a week, and my bf and i take dance class one a week. if it werent for those things, my eyes would be bleeding from blogging all week. throw in something else that is a regular occurrence and the intensity might lighten up. maybe. hehe
The cycle of working, working, working and then crashing seems pretty normal for me. I think the trouble comes in when we expect to be able to turn our creativity and its motivation on and off like a machine or a normal job… and when we do not give ourselves breaks, expecting to be able to just keep going forever, and not needing a step back.
I think you can regulate creativity (and working off of it) a little, when you develop a routine, but it can’t be completely on schedule– sometimes we are just more or less creative than others. And I love how little things and big plans alike seem to spur me on, even if it’s just a little spark or a moment to smile. It’s all important.
This! What great perspective Cate, I think I may be holding onto habits from my admin heavy jobs that aren’t as helpful in my new work life. I’m going to have to think about this :)
I do the same thing! When I am passionate about something, I pursue it heart an soul! But sometimes, I just have to fizzle and kick back. I hope the break was just what you needed to get back on a roll!
I can relate to the cycle of going, going, going and then…a bit of a crash. I was just thinking about that the other day and how I tend to hyper-focus when I’m “in the zone”. It can be both a good and bad thing…I I am trying to take a longer break just before the feeling of burnout hits, like you did the past weekend. And keeping perspective that life will keep going and that I’ll pick it back up. And yes, I do think that for me part of it is embracing that this is who I am…and enjoy the ride as much as I can. :)