Burnout, Fatigue, and Making a Living as an Artist

I'm so glad that we're all being more open about the struggle to succeed.  Because, let me tell you, the struggle is real.  Recently, I've seen a number of excellent blog posts, instagram posts, and web articles discussing burnout, fatigue, and the struggle of making a living as an artist.  I'm linking to a few that really resonated for me.  I hope you'll find them interesting.

Carrie Bloomston: Why I Quit the Gig Economy and Got a Day Job

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There but for the grace of God go I.  That's the first phrase that popped into my head after reading Carrie's article.  The struggle to make financial ends meet, even with what looks like a successful business, is ongoing for most artists.  It's important to remember that everyone is an iceberg -- you only see about 10% of what is really happening.

Lisa Congdon: On Self-Employment, Workaholism and Getting My Life Back

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I think that Lisa was the first really high profile artist I noticed talking about burnout in ways I could relate.  Her article is excellent and shares some solutions that have worked for her.

Grace Bonney (aka Design Sponge): On Taking a Break

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I saw a comment recently that said something along the lines of, "It's hard to change directions on social media." Grace is pretty open in her post about the fact that she has changed as a person and isn't sure how to transition her (very successful) business.  Or even if she should.  The comments are worth a read along with what she wrote.  She's in the middle of a transition and I look forward to seeing her "come out the other end" so to speak.

Emily McDowell: Stress Before/After

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This is a short and sweet before/after picture with a few words about the toll of stress.  It is really difficult to prioritize yourself and your health.  Although, I recently saw a headline that caught my eye: Why Exercising is a Higher Priority Than My Business.  I'm not surprised that it was written by a man.  Women, in particular, find it difficult to prioritize themselves above their families and their work.

Finally, I recently posted this on instagram:

Making a living as an artist is wonderful, but it's not quite all fun and creative play.  Success in any industry is based on endless hard work.

Thanks for stopping by!