Self Care for Creatives

5 less-obvious ways to take care of yourself, so you can care for your clients!

We as creatives push ourselves constantly to keep creating and serving others, but how often do we take that time for ourselves?

The answer – not nearly often enough. The only way to give from your cup is to make sure your cup is full; the same concept applies to your clients – you can't care for your clients as best as you can without first taking care of yourself. Here are my favorite five ways to show some self-love before showing up for my customers:

1) Take Care of Your Body

Set work hours and breaks to get up, move, and stretch your body – I'm talking once an hour! This simple act will help prevent back pain and carpal tunnel from working non-stop.
Drink lots of water! A hydrated brain is a creative brain.
Exercise regularly – set regular days throughout the week to exercise, even if it’s a simple walk.
Eat food that fuels your body and helps you feel your best, but don’t forget your favorite treat every once in a while. What you put into your mind affects your brain as well as your body.

Catch some zzz’s. Tired work is not your best work – give your brain the rest it deserves!

2) Take Care of Your Mind

Practice using brain dumps when you start to feel overwhelmed. Take all of your thoughts in your mind and put them down on paper, then organize them into prioritized categories to allow your mind to focus.
Take time to focus and center yourself – meditation, yoga, sketching, reading, alone time, etc. – however you focus, take ten minutes minimum each day to refocus on your priorities through a task that rejuvenates your mind.

3) Work Towards Your Goals

Set specific and measurable short and long-term goals in three areas: personal, work, and social. Add check points for you to check your progress along your goal timeline.
Follow up on those goals frequently – doing so will help keep you on track and remove distractions that are not in line with your goals and future.
Take time to celebrate the big and small victories along the way!

4) Schedule Your “Adulting” Tasks

Along with your business tasks, you have “adulting” ones as well, things that just need to get done in everyday life. Having a regular schedule for those items can help you stay on top of them and avoid the stress that comes from the tasks piling up.

We are mentally and physically impacted by our environment. A clean and organized environment encourages productivity, creativity, and best of all – less stress and distractions.

5) Take Time to Enjoy Life!

Make it a priority to join friends for dinner, go on a date, find adventures with your family, or read a book just for fun. These are just a few ideas to get you out of the work zone and into the fun zone!
Your best ideas will come from living life, not living in the office! Get out there and get inspired.

So next time you’re feeling creatively drained, try a few of these tips for some creative self-care! And for more business inspiration and tips, check out our branding blog.