When is too much too much? Creative burnout and how to manage it while managing a full-time job

Working and being creative and working full time can be a very thin line preventing yourself from getting burnt out if you are not careful about exactly what you do.

The pattern for me in my current day job isn’t too bad actually as I work not far away from home and am usually home at 5.30 pm (unless we are going out somewhere), have tea with my wife, we will watch usually one television programme (usually for our Television Programme (and then my evening is usually my own and don’t have to leave until usually 8.10 am for a short bus ride to work.

Amanda may watch something else, but I don’t bother to be honest usually preferring to skip around whatever I feel creative project for just a little bit every night.

Burnout is an interesting point for me currently, and from the viewpoint of a Diabetic runs two-fold in making sure I don’t make myself ill by simply knowing when to stop every night when I get turned (Usually by 9 pm every night) and simply then listen to some music, maybe read a little bit of a book before then getting ready for work the following day.

The job before where I am now was trickier certainly as it was a fair but further out and longer hours, so involved leaving say 7.10 am each morning and if lucky getting home at say 6.30 pm on a bad day and sometimes would leave me too tired to do much.

What I would do then with this job would be take my tablet and be writing something on the way home as I would often have half a hour wait every night at Manchester Piccadilly train station whether a story, a poem, prose or features like this.

A lot of my first novel ‘Birth’ was done like this and the notes for it’s sequel ‘Death’ (which will be open at the start of 2025) and what will be my third novel currently titled ‘Murder Story’ and transfer everything over at the end of the week, usually on a Friday night or a Saturday Night.

This was more challenging certainly and I suspect will pose a similar problem if I have to work in the future at a job further out, but providing I managed my energy it was certainly manageable.

Juggling a full-time job and creative endeavours isn't always a walk in the park I’ll tell you for nothing, but it's doable.

The way I stop burnout isn’t by simply never stopping which may seem that way to some point, but it’s really by balancing things out, if I don’t feel like writing, I’ll do some music or cut up experiments for my forthcoming experimental music, or carry on with the second Polly Ocean (which is me and my singer friend Polly) album, or over the weekend do a Podcast. I’ve learnt by taking care of yourself, you can keep the burnout at bay.

I've learned that even with a demanding schedule, there's always time for a little creativity. If you listen to your body (with being Diabetic, it’s essential you do) and manage your energy, I can keep the creative juices flowing. I’ve done 10 full-length poetry books and nearly two novels. I’m even planning for my third novel, although that may be a bit of a distance off.

As I've learned, it's not about never stopping but finding the right rhythm. When I'm feeling drained, I turn to music, experimental art, or my podcast. By listening to my body and managing my energy, I've managed to keep the creative juices flowing. And hey, if I can do it with a demanding schedule and a health condition, so can you with a bit of thought.

Beyond the CV can be bought here -?https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyond-CV-Lessons-Unemployment-2024-ebook/dp/B0DJ7BQQ17?ref_=ast_author_mpb

More articles can be found here - https://andynartist.substack.com/

My second novel ‘Death’ will follow at the start of 2025.

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