Taking A Break Will Increase Your Creativity

If you’re like most interior designers, you feel as if you never have enough time to get your work done, and you’re constantly feel “behind” with an avalanche of competing priorities. That leads to burnout and stress, and yet we often push through those feelings and keep working.

What does it do to your creativity and passion for the business when you overwork? It makes you feel flat and uninspired … and maybe even cranky and short-tempered.

How can you take a break when you’re that busy? How can you NOT take a break?

I know – take my own advice! I am doing much better these days, and here’s how:

1. Meditation – I do this at least once a day – when I get up, and late afternoon when I’m done with my calls and before dinner. It is amazing how much this one practice can change your life. Ironically, when I meditate, my cats are immediately drawn to me and they want to curl up on my lap or legs (often I have both of them on me) while I do it.
2. Exercise – I do this in the morning after a piece of fruit and water, and then I go to the gym and let my trainer direct me so I don’t have to think.
3. Nutrition – Avoid sugar and white carbs – it makes you tired and unable to focus.
4. Lots of water – the more the better.
5. Journal – even 10 minutes of writing in your journal can help you work through challenges more quickly. Be sure to write down three things you’re grateful for.
6. Vacation – every year, I look at my calendar well before January and I mark out which weeks are the fourth and fifth weeks of the month. These are my project or vacation weeks. The first week of the month means that the Monday falls within the new month. I schedule 5 weeks off per year.
7. Sabbatical – Next year will be my first year to take a Sabbatical. It will occur two weeks after our 2016 Interior Design Summit and will last for two weeks.
8. Short breaks during the week – It is healthy to block out 1/2 or a full day each week to think, plan, meet friends for lunch, go to the movie, take a walk, go to the museum or just rest and read. Block your breaks before you block your “work.”
9. Schedule “slack” time into your schedule. Allow time between meetings to get a quick snack, water, stretch and just think. If you don’t allow breaks, your brain will create breaks and you’ll be less efficient.
10. Delegate or outsource. I hear people say frequently that they can’t afford to hire anyone, but you can! If you are working outside of your natural talents, then you’re wasting valuable willpower on doing things that drain your energy.

If you can do all of these 10 steps, you’ll have much more fun, and your creativity and passion will return. You deserve it!