Building creative hygiene through simple habits to avoid burnout

Designers' work involves near-constant feedback, tight deadlines and juggling multiple projects. For even the most self-assured and organized among us, this can lead to feeling depleted and uninspired.

For me, the following basic creative hygiene keeps me sane and energized for whatever design problem-solving exercise lands in my inbox. I encourage you to try a few to help refill your proverbial cup.

Regularly connect with your young inner maker

For many of us, our creative spirit first emerged in childhood. We doodled made-up characters, wrote stories and songs and created for the joy of it, without overthinking or self-editing. Revisiting media that connects you to that inner maker–whether through movies, Saturday morning cartoons, comics, trading cards, toys or whatever works for you–can help you tap into that free, uninhibited energy. Pull inspiration for colour palettes, layouts, typography and consider how you might reimagine them. 

Tapping into this playful state reminds us of our innate drive to create, unburdened by feedback, subjectivity or the pressure of day-to-day demands. 

Spend time in nature

Nature is inherently creative and magical. Make time to step away from your desk and head outdoors to shift from active doer to mindful observer. The objective is simple: Be aware and pay attention to the beauty around you Notice the colours, shapes, textures and patterns and consider the associations you hold to them. Consider the symmetry of leaves. The orange-to-purple-to-pink gradients in the sunset. The intricate patterns in bark. The concentric rings of a tree trunk or the ripples on water. Notice what growth looks like. What decay looks like.

Let these quiet observations refill your imagination and be an invitation to reconnect to the natural cycles of creation all around you.

Archive what inspires you

Creative momentum doesn’t exist in a vacuum and energy begets energy. The more you feed it, the more it flows. One of the simplest ways to stay connected to your spark is to build an archive of what speaks to you. Create a Pinterest board, or a digital folder or a physical collage, if that’s more your thing, that’s just for you, not for a client or a project.

Add anything that catches your eye: Photography, type treatments, textile patterns, vintage ads, film stills, paintings and colours that make you feel something. This isn’t about being productive. It’s about following your curiosity and making space to be inspired. 

Here’s my treasure chest (I add to it nearly every day): MONDO BIZARRO

Think of it as your personal reference altar, something to return to whenever you’re feeling flat, stuck or in need of a jolt of joy.

Let creative energy cross-pollinate

Sometimes the best way to recharge your own creative energy is to witness how others express theirs. Engage with other forms of artistic expression with intention and focus. Listen to an album all the way through. Visit an art gallery and reflect on what moves you. Pause to take in graffiti on the side of a train or the lush colour combo of someone’s outfit, These are all artifacts of people attempting to capture a thought, a mood, a moment, through whatever medium inspired them. Let yourself be moved by their efforta. Let it stir something in you.

Inspiration doesn’t live in a silo; it thrives on cross-pollination. This is a lens to carry into your everyday life: Stay open, stay curious.

Start before you feel ready

One of the best pieces of advice I received as a baby designer was this: “Just get to work. Just start the file. Place the required images and logos. Get the text going. Pick a typeface. That usually creates a spark. Relax and move things around. You have knowledge and skills. It will come together. Just get to work.” Action interrupts overthinking. Momentum often builds not in the waiting, but in the doing. The moment your fingers hit the keyboard or your pencil touches paper, something shifts. What feels abstract starts to take shape. 

So next time you're blocked, don’t wait for brilliance to strike. Open the file. Start the thing. Let your hands lead and trust that your creative instincts will catch up.

Now it’s your turn: try one (or all!) of these practices this week, and watch how they breathe new life into your work.