Self Care Habits For Artists and Creatives - When your Body says NO!
Hello My Fellow Amazing Humans!
Do you get obsessed with your art and work into the night? Do you sit hunched over your embroidery for hours forgetting to drink and eat? Do you spend hours on your business stressing out about your growth? Or Maybe you don’ have the time to paint as much as you want but are caught up in the busyness of life. I Hear you!
When I was younger I romanticized the idea of being an artist. I imagined them always being in a creative zone, working for hours into the night, drinking wine and being all interesting and different. Ah, so young! Little did I realize that artists and creatives are just like everyone else. Trying to cope with the struggles and wonders of life. With a mind and body with basic needs that is too easy to ignore.
Let’s dive into this!
1.Take Breaks
If this is hard for you, set a timer. Some people prefer to work for 30-60 minutes and then have a 5-15 min break. The most important is to figure out what works best for you.
Some people thrive on a loose schedule; working for 16 hours, then sleep some, work some more, and then have days where they don’t work that much. It’s all about listening to what your body and mind need to stay healthy.
I do believe It’s important to take breaks from your work especially if it has consequences for other parts of your life; your health or your family.
When do you feel the most creative? In the morning or in the evening? Instead of pushing yourself when you don’t feel like creating, take a break. It’s completely normal. I for instance have a maximum creative span of 3-4 hours a day where I manage to paint (if I’m lucky to have the time). If I push myself further I end up feeling bad, sluggish and activating that negative self-talk. And I really don’t get that much done either.
2. Make something Silly, Just for you.
When was the last time you made something without thinking about the end result? Draw a silly figure that will make you smile. Make a weird figure out of clay just because it’s quirky and fun. Write a short story about the strangest thing you can think of. No pressure, just silliness. You don’t even have to share it on social media!
3. Remember to Drink and Eat.
A lot of people forget to stay hydrated and eat during the day. It’s so easy to forget to drink water when you are lost in your work. I find that it helps to have a water bottle nearby at all times. Maybe even get a pretty one so it’s nice to look at and easy to bring with you.
If you drink a lot of coffee (guilty!), make it a habit to drink a glass of water before and after having a coffee.
Get enough food and nutrition during the day. I’m not going into the types of diets and food groups etc, we are all so different and obsessing about food is not helpful, but being educated is. And if you want to create that amazing art of yours for many years to come, you better give your brain some proper nutrition.
I follow these guidelines for myself
Eat a lot of different colored food (just imagine all the amazing colored fruits and vegetables there are).
Eat food with different texture
The less processed, the better
Eat when you are hungry
Loads of lovely blogs out there on this topic. This is one of my favorites:
https://www.pickuplimes.com/ (She also has a wonderful YouTube channel).
4. Move your Body.
Your amazing body has the ability to make paintings, pottery, embroidery, poetry, novels, photography and all those other yummy arts and crafts. Let’s take care of it shall we?
Stretching: I have my yoga mat rolled out all times. Mostly my cat enjoys sleeping on it and scratching on it, but I stop by and do some gentle stretches during the day. Maybe you can even alternate between sitting and standing when you work?
Walking: I go outside almost everyday. Walking is so good for you. Most importantly, do something you enjoy and something that’s easy to incorporate into your day. Some people like to do a quick morning walk to wake up. I prefer the evening stroll.
Dance: If you don’t like working out, put on some nice tunes to get your body moving! It will boost those yummy happy hormones we all need so much.
5. Take care of your Mental Health
Well, I guess I’m kind of biased since I work as a clinical psychologist, but most people would agree, right? This is a huuuge topic, and I will probably come back to this now and then. But here are some quick suggestions:
Brain dump and Mindless Writing
Meditation
Spend time with your loved ones
Take time to talk to your partner
Cuddle your Pets
Make art just for You
Do all of the above (1-4), (Since our mental and physical being is forever connected).
Check out my guide on intuition where I added some exercises that can foster you mental well-being:
6.Sleep
Oh man. The struggle of getting some solid sleep! In Norway 1 out of 3 experience sleep problems during the week. 1 out of 10 have severe and chronic sleeping disorders.
Sleep will come naturally when you are well rested and have a good balance in your life. This is easier said than done.
Our lives just keep getting more complex and our brain is trying to keep up. I’m trying not to deep dive here but (Nerd Alert!, feel free to skip ahead)… Since we are no longer farmers and hunters… After the industrial revolution and bloom of capitalism, in most countries we need to work to pay for shelter, food and basic necessities. Since we live in a world where there are huge gaps between rich and poor it means that in a lot of countries you need more than one job to pay the bills or spend most of the day on your job and still not being able to earn a living wage (remember to support ethical brands). Most likely you will spend many hours on your job either way. Add a couple of kids, a house (or a tiny apartment) and some pets and you are all set up for burn-out. The struggle is real!
So what can we do?
Focus on your situation in your own country. How can you take care of yourself and at the same time take care of your loved ones. Sleep is so important for our health so maybe it’s worth sacrificing something else? For instance saying no to an invitation when you actually need to rest.
Some tips and tricks that might help:
Listen to relaxing music, a podcast or a tv-show you have listened to many times before. Whatever you feel relax your mind and body (I listen to the Office U.S when i can’t sleep, and I have probably seen/listened to it 10 times already.
Read! The good old read till you feel tired advice.
Count backwards from 10.
Write in your Journal before going to bed.
Meditate
Gentle Evening Walk
Turn off all white/bright lights a couple of hours before going to bed.
General sleep advice is helpful if you just have some trouble sleeping, but if you are having disordered sleep contact your general practitioner to get help or treatment.
To sum it all up - Self Care Habits to set you up for success:
Take Breaks
Make Something Silly
Remember to Drink and Eat
Move Your Body
Take Care of your Mental Health
Sleep
Over to You:
Write down the Habits you want to incorporate in your daily life.
Is there an area in your life you feel has been neglected? Start small and see how it feels. It’s not suppose to make you feel worse. Maybe It’s getting enough water during the day or to do some gentle stretches in your lunch break.
Thank you…
…for hanging out. I want to do a more in depth and specific E-book on this topic. Incorporating psychology and art. Let me know if this is something you would be interested in.
I wish you a kind and self-compassionate creative practice
x Eirin
Medical Disclaimer
Information on this website are for general information only and is not a substitute for and does not replace professional consultation with a qualified health care provider familiar with your medical history and individual needs. Please don’t postpone seeking help because of something you read on this website.
If you need to talk to someone after reading this; please reach out to you general practitioner (GP) and check out what possibilities there are for treatment or help in your area.
