Creative Burnout in NYC: When Passion Starts to Feel Like Pressure
When Loving Your Work Starts to Hurt
Being a creative in NYC can be a complicated thing. There are high highs and low lows, there are joys and there are challenges. There is a constant whiplash between getting 20 rejections one week, then booking your dream job the next. Then, when your contract ends or the art exhibit is done, it’s right back to the daily grind.
Something I see all the time in my work with creative clients is creative burnout. The artistic expression, emotional release, and joy they once got from engaging in their art disappear as the challenging realities of a career in the arts wears them down. Where once they found an escape within their art, needing to book a job, any job, to pay the rent turns it into a grind rather than joyful self-expression.
In NYC, these challenges are magnified tenfold by a city that never slows down and an over-saturated market where hundreds of people are competing for the same job. The pressure to succeed is immense, both internally and externally, and this can lead even the most dedicated, passionate artists to burn out.
What is Creative Burnout?
Creative burnout is a state of fatigue and exhaustion related to your artistic work. It may manifest as creative blocks, disinterest in the projects that once fueled you, procrastination, or avoidance of the art form you once loved.
Creative burnout can look like many things, like depression, laziness, or being overly tired, so it can sometimes be difficult to recognize. Keep an eye out for your overall attitude toward your work: are you excited about upcoming projects or auditions, or are you beginning to dread them? Are you finding yourself resistant to talking about your work? Are you experiencing creative blocks that keep you from creating? If you’re noticing resistance and avoidance, you may be experiencing creative burnout.
Why Creative Burnout is So Common in NYC
We’ve all heard it: New York City is the “city that never sleeps.” So many of my clients are terrified of taking a break because they’re worried they’ll miss out on once-in-a-lifetime opportunities in the day or two that they take off. NYC is a city of endless opportunities for creatives, but the competition is fierce and the expectation to prioritize your creative career above all else creates unbearable pressure.
NYC creatives also have to live with the reality that living expenses in NYC are some of the highest in the country. Missing out on one opportunity can be the difference between making rent and not, and that makes it incredibly difficult to prioritize rest.
The pressure for artists in NYC can make it feel like taking a break is impossible and creative burnout is inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be that way. By recognizing creative burnout, taking steps to address and prevent it, and seeking help when you need it, you can begin to build more balance in your life.
Signs of Creative Burnout (That Aren’t Always Obvious)
Creative Burnout can be tricky to spot, because the “tortured artist” narrative is so pervasive. Artists are supposed to struggle, right? According to that narrative, you’re supposed to be exhausted, overworked, and underpaid. I hate this myth and I don’t think it has to be true, but it gets so deeply ingrained in us that it’s hard to break out of.
How Do I Know if I’m Creatively Burned Out?
So how do you recognize creative burnout when it creeps in? Look out for these signs:
Emotional, mental, and physical fatigue
Loss of joy, play, and curiosity in your creative work
Irritability or being easily frustrated
Resentment toward your creative work
Disinterest in projects or creative activities that used to excite you
Avoidance or procrastination in your artistic work
Recognizing creative burnout is the first step to coping with it, so try to watch out for these signs and name it when it arises.
Why “Just Taking a Break” Isn’t Always Enough
Sometimes, when creative burnout has taken hold, getting a full night’s sleep or taking a day or two off isn’t enough. It addresses the fatigue in the short-term, but it doesn’t fix the structures and systemic issues in your life that are contributing to your burnout.
Even when you take some time to rest, it doesn’t address the fear and pressure you may feel in regards to your creative career. It doesn’t fix your tendency to over-exert yourself and sacrifice your well-being to do just one more audition or project. It doesn’t make up for months of working seven days a week. Without addressing these issues, getting a full night’s sleep or taking a day or two off is a band-aid on a bullet wound.
So how do you recover from creative burnout and prevent it from returning in the future?
How to Recover From Creative Burnout Without Losing Your Identity
I know that creative burnout can feel insurmountable, but if I’ve learned anything in my work with creatives, it is that we are all capable of building sustainable careers and healthy relationships with our art.
To address and prevent creative burnout, try:
Rediscovering your “why:” Explore your values, and think about why you started doing this work in the first place
Separating worth from output: Explore what makes you who you are. Maybe you’re a good friend, a strong strong leader, intelligent, funny. You are more than your productivity.
Making space for creating for fun: Engage in a different creative outlet than the one that makes you money. If you’re a singer, paint a picture. If you’re a dancer, write a short story. Find creativity that isn’t tied to a paycheck.
Focusing on process over product: How can you build skills without focusing on perfection? Take a class, focus on technique, notice the way you feel when you create. When you begin to focus on the process, it can take some of the pressure off.
Setting boundaries: Choose one day a week where you don’t work and stick to it. Say no to a project that you don’t have the bandwidth for. Find ways to protect your rest and well-being.
Regulating your nervous system: Engage in mindfulness and grounding exercises that allow your nervous system to reset.
Resting: I know I said it wasn’t enough on its own, but resting is an important part of recovery. Sleep in. Take a nap. Take a few days off. Allow yourself to take a break, because if you don’t do it, I promise you your body will do it for you.
Creative burnout can feel overwhelming, but using these strategies can start you on the road to recovery.
Getting Support as a Creative in NYC
Sometimes, addressing creative burnout on your own just isn’t enough. Working with a therapist who specializes in therapy for artists and creatives can help you recover from burnout and build a more sustainable career and fulfilling life.
I offer both individual therapy and workshops for creatives in NYC who are looking for more support around creative burnout, imposter syndrome, life transitions, and all of the many other issues that artists face. To learn more about how therapy can help you, schedule a free 30-minute consultation with me at Insight Therapy NYC today.
I know this is hard, but you don’t have to navigate it alone.
