Reply To: Creative Burnout

[Omar Domenech]

This is a tricky one, because everyone is different, there is no one fit all situation and remedy. For me breaks or no breaks just happen naturally, since Blender for me is a hobby. I’ll get on it, leave it, get back to it, not open Blender for a year because I don’t have a computer, use it non stop for a year because there’s a lot of projects, etc, it all just flows naturally and I’ve never had to worry about if I’ve been away for too long or for too few.

There are tons of podcast that deal with this kinds of topics. Good ones being Andrew Hubberman, Chris Williamson, Diary of a CEO, Sam Harris, etc.

If I had to come up with an answer, I’d say take a little break yes, but you can’t wait for a muse to show up, inspiration has to find you working. It’s a famous quote from Pablo Picasso, “Inspiration exists but it has to find you working.” You have to open Blender and work even if you don’t feel like it, that’s discipline. Do a boring thing, make one of those video games red exploring barrels, the ones that for some reason bad guys always stand next to. Before you know it you’re like oooh what if I make a video game level diorama, that stage from Soul Reaver I used to love so much. Watch a tutorial, if it makes you sleepy power through it. It’s just a movie trope that thing were the main character is super inspired and shows up to work all happy and makes the whole office dance to Michael Jackson’s Thriller. In the real world you simply have to begin, just start, do something, and you’ll either find the way or you’ll find an excuse.