AD PRO - AD100 Designers on Battling Burnout

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Get Your Groove Back

Most days, working in the design field is creatively fulfilling. But occasionally, in the throes of tight project timelines, indecisive clients, and myriad delays, you may be reminded: This is still a job. And a hard one, at that. “I think we all experience burnout,” shared designer Heidi Caillier in a recent AD PRO LIVE discussion with fellow AD100 designers Ross Cassidy and Little Wing Lee. “I’ve definitely had design exhaustion, especially when you’re coming to a big deliverable,” seconds Lee. Learn how the pros curb the feeling and reignite their creativity below—then read up on how to recognize the feeling in your employees, too.

Take a beat

“[I’ll] ask my team to take on more of the emails and day-to-day stuff that tends to burn me out the most and just step away and be quiet. Traveling, looking at design books, or spending time not engaging in design trends... Sometimes going on a run, I’ll come up with my best ideas. So many times, it’s about stepping away from your computer or that moment and being able to take a breath.” -Heidi Caillier

Consider right-sizing

“Burnout is something that’s easy to happen when you’re being pressured to make decisions all day, every day. That’s why I shrunk my staff and client list. So that I could go back to the joy of the process, instead of delivering as many line items to people as I could possibly get checked off the list.” -Ross Cassidy

Truly unwind

“For me, it’s also taking a break from design—taking a walk, taking a hike. Making sure that I am taking a break—doing acupuncture, going to a massage, meditating, going to a museum, traveling, and finding other ways to be inspired.” -Little Wing Lee