A Creator's Guide to Burnout. • Huddle Blog

Burnout is a serious issue among creators, one that’s personal to me. Not only did I experience burnout years ago as a creator (when I reached 30,000 subscribers on my YouTube channel and coming up with content transformed from a fun activity into a soul-crushing chore), but I also witnessed some of my favorite creators shutting down their channels due to burnout (Mattias from ‘Fun Fun Function’ and Harry Wolff’s ‘The Joy of Coding’, to give a couple of examples). Here are a few insights I wish I had when I was starting about what burnout is, how to recognize it, and how to avoid it.

Why do we burn out?

There is evidence to suggest that creators burn out at a higher rate than those in traditional professions. Here are some common factors contributing to creator burnout:

The Pressure Cooker of Content Creation

Most creators will tell you that their number 1 source of stress is the relentless pressure to produce content. That’s not just about fulfilling your own self-imposed expectations. Objective factors are building this pressure, from Algorithm Anxiety (The fear of becoming invisible if we don’t feed the algorithm regularly) to the urge to keep up with other creators in our niche.

The Inner Voice of Perfectionism

While external pressures can be overwhelming, sometimes our harshest critic is ourselves. Enter the inner voice of perfectionism, whispering (or sometimes screaming): “You need to post something new, and it better be amazing.” This manifests in endless revisions, overthinking every detail, and All-or-Nothing Thinking (believing that if a piece of content isn’t perfect, it’s not worth publishing at all).

It doesn’t end there…

I won’t spend the whole article discussing all the ways reasons why content creators are prone to burnout, but here’s a quick round-up of other common problems:
Isolation: Hours spent writing, filming, or editing alone can lead to feelings of isolation and disconnection. This lack of regular social interaction and peer support can take a toll on mental health and contribute to burnout.
Imposter Syndrome: Many creators, regardless of their success or experience, grapple with persistent self-doubt, questioning their abilities.
Platform Dependency and Algorithm Anxiety: Many creators depend heavily on specific platforms - this dependency can create a constant state of anxiety about potential algorithm changes or policies that could affect visibility and income.

In all these cases, the path is similar: recurring stress leading to chronic stress, eventually resulting in burnout – the state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that can leave us creatively drained and disconnected from our work.

Recognizing the Signs of Burnout

Before we dive into solutions, it’s crucial to recognize the warning signs of burnout. Burnout can manifest in various forms, affecting emotional, physical, and behavioral wellbeing:

Persistent fatigue and lack of energy
Decreased motivation and creativity
Increased irritability or mood swings
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Physical symptoms like headaches or insomnia
Feeling disconnected from your work or audience

If you’re experiencing these symptoms, it’s time to take action. Remember, addressing burnout isn’t just about maintaining your output but preserving your passion and wellbeing.

Strategies for Avoiding Burnout

Prioritize Your Mental Health

First off, it’s crucial to take care of your mental health. I will even argue that your mental health is your most valuable asset as a creator: You can’t pour from an empty cup.

Create structure and boundaries.
Establishing a structured routine can provide consistency and help prioritize mental health. Consistency doesn’t mean you have to be on 24/7. Set specific times for creating, and stick to them. Give yourself permission to unplug outside those hours.

Furthermore, setting clear boundaries is critical; learning to say “no” and avoiding overcommitting can significantly reduce feelings of being overwhelmed.

Empowerment Through Detachment.
A.K.A. “Let it go.” Embracing a mindset of detachment can also help. By learning to let go of the need to control every outcome, you can cultivate a clearer vision of your circumstances and improve emotional resilience. This shift in perspective allows for a more balanced approach to challenges, reducing the stress associated with burnout.

Communicate and Seek Support.
Finally, you are not alone: Engaging in honest and open dialogue is one of the most effective strategies for preventing burnout. Don’t hesitate to talk to friends, family, or a therapist about your struggles.

Implement Better Processes

Improving your workflow can reduce stress and increase productivity.

Set Realistic Goals
Setting achievable goals is a vital aspect of preventing burnout. I particularly like the simplicity of the SMART goals framework—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Breaking larger ambitions into smaller tasks ensures steady progress while maintaining motivation. For example, when I wrote my book, I set the goal of writing two pages per day on weekdays.

But do so knowing that productivity is not linear - there were days where I had to push myself to get a single paragraph done, and that’s ok, as long as the overall goal is still achievable most of the time.

Establish a workflow
Create standardized procedures for the tasks you perform regularly, especially for pre- and post-publishing activities - this can help avoid last-minute scrambles and reduce stress.

Start by identifying recurring tasks: Depending on the type of content you create, this can range from preparing thumbnails or cover images, writing social media posts to promote the new content, cross-posting posting, etc.

Then, make it a process: Write the recurring tasks into checklists organized in a logical sequence.

Explore New Content Strategies

Sometimes, the best way to avoid burnout is to shake things up: Trying new creative outlets or experimenting with different techniques not only refreshes one’s perspective but also enhances creativity by breaking the routine that often leads to burnout. Explore New Mediums. Stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new formats can reignite your creativity (besides helping you reach new audiences). If you’re a YouTuber, try writing a blog post. If you’re an author, experiment with a podcast. Share Your Experience: Not all your content needs to be novel or groundbreaking. Sometimes, simply sharing your experience or perspective on existing content can be valuable to your audience.

Let me share a concrete example that illustrates this last point. I follow this YouTube creator (Theo - T3.gg), who primarily produces original software engineering content. One day, he decided to do something different: he posted a video where he read an article. At first glance, this might seem boring or even lazy. “Is he really just reading an article?” I thought. But what t3.gg did was much more than that. As he read through the technically dense article, he frequently paused to provide context, share personal anecdotes, and offer examples from his own experience. This approach transformed the content into something unique and valuable. What’s particularly noteworthy about this approach is that it didn’t require hours of preparation or original research. The creator’s existing knowledge and experience were enough to create meaningful content for his subscribers. The video enriched the original article, making it more accessible and adding layers of practical insight.

Embracing the Journey

As creators, we’re on an incredible journey of self-expression and connection. It’s easy to get caught up in the metrics, the algorithms, and the constant demand for content. But remember why you started creating in the first place – that spark of passion, the joy of sharing your unique perspective with the world. Avoiding burnout isn’t just about implementing strategies or improving processes (although those are important). It’s about reconnecting with your creative spirit and finding a sustainable way to share with the world. So take a deep breath, step back, and look at the bigger picture. Your creativity is a renewable resource, but only if you give it the care and attention it deserves. By prioritizing your wellbeing and finding balance in your creative life, you’re not just avoiding burnout but setting yourself up for long-term success and fulfillment.

Cassio Zen is a creator and founder of Huddle.

Huddle is a platform for building communities around creators and their content