Hey everyone, welcome to another Monday Break(Through), where I drop quick, no-fluff insights to kickstart your week. And today, I want to talk about something we all face at some point—creative burnout.
We all know that feeling—when everything you design feels off, when even just opening your laptop drains you, and when even the projects you were once excited about feel like a chore. It happens to all of us. But the question is: how do we deal with it?
Because, burnout doesn’t just come from working too much. Sure, overloading yourself is part of it, but the real killer? Mental exhaustion. The pressure to constantly create, stay relevant, and outdo your last project can wear you down.
And for us designers it can come from various directions:
• Whether you are taking on too many client projects,
• Forcing yourself to create,
• Feeling like you have to post, promote, and stay visible all the time,
• or comparing yourself to others and thinking you’re falling behind,
If you’re in that burnout phase right now, here’s what helped me in the past to go through or completely avoid burnout:
1. Step Back Without Guilt
Because creativity isn’t a machine—it’s more like a muscle. And if you overwork a muscle, it breaks down. So instead of forcing it, step away. A short break won’t ruin your momentum—it’ll restore it.
2. Switch to Input Mode
When your creative output feels drained, it’s usually because you haven’t taken in enough new inspiration. So instead of pushing yourself to create, consume. Read a book, watch a documentary, go outside, have a walk in the nature, explore unrelated art forms—whatever fills the well back up.
3. Change Your Creative Outlet
If design feels like a grind, do something creative that has zero pressure. Sketch for fun, take photos, experiment with a new tool—anything that reminds you why you love creating in the first place.
4. Find Your Own Pace
The design world moves fast, but that doesn’t mean you have to. If you’re constantly chasing trends or feeling pressured to produce nonstop, it’s time to slow down. Sustainable creativity beats short bursts of overwork every time.
As someone who works a lot and publishes a lot of fonts, I have my own routine to completely avoid burnout. I usually release new fonts on Thursdays, so every Friday, I work just a couple of hours. The rest of the day, I take time to relax, read, and go out for lunch. In a way, I reward myself, but I also break the cycle of constant work, work, work.
Also, at least twice a year, I take a longer vacation where I don’t work at all. One is usually during the Christmas holidays, and the other is in the summer when I spend 2–3 weeks by the sea, having fun with my family. And that completely refuels my energy!
And, I want you to remember that burnout isn’t a sign of failure—it’s a sign that something needs to change. If you feel it creeping in, don’t ignore it. Pause. Recharge. Reset. Your creativity will thank you for it.
That’s it for today’s Monday Break(Through). If this resonated, let me know, and if you’ve ever dealt with burnout, drop a comment—I’d love to hear how you got through it. See you next time!