by Alex Lefkowitz
Being a content creator is a dream job in many ways. You get to do what you love, share your passion with the world, and manage your own time. What is this 9-to-5 you speak of?
However, content creation can also be incredibly stressful. Between managing monetization strategies, keeping up with trends, and analyzing video performances, many YouTubers struggle with their workload.
In fact, a recent study by Tasty Edits reveals that 79% of content creators have experienced creator burnout in the past.
So what can you do to prevent it? What strategies do successful YouTubers use to avoid creator burnout and find long-term success?
We asked them in a series of in-depth interviews and a survey (check out the full Creator Study report!). Here are their responses.
Contents
Take Time Off
First, the single most important thing you can do to avoid creator burnout is to take time off. Regularly.
98% of creators say that it helps them prevent burnout and cope with stress in the long term.
Even if creating videos for your channel is what you love, you need other things you enjoy in your life. One surefire way into creator burnout is to build your entire identity around content creation. Then, if you run into a wall, you have nothing else to fall back on.
Make sure that you periodically take time away from your channel. Spend your time off with friends and family, travel, explore new things, recharge.
Plus, taking some time away will help you return to content creation with new energy and inspiration, boosting your content quality.
“Your mental health is more important than posting a video. Think long-term and get the rest you need to post that next video,” one creator advises. “Your audience is more forgiving than you think. They will understand your need for a break.”
Exercise
Next up, there’s exercise. Yes, it’s an item that will inevitably appear in any “how to deal with stress” article. But for good reason.
93% of successful creators say that exercise is a key stress management strategy for them.
Science backs them up. Research has shown time and time again that almost any form of exercise significantly reduces stress and anxiety levels. No matter if it’s an hour-long yoga session, a 15-minute walk, or a thorough gym session.
The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week. That is one thirty-minute session five days a week. Or three 50 minute ones.
That’s less than 1.5% of the total time you have per week. But it’s a huge investment in your personal well-being and success as a creator.
Schedule Daily Self-Care Time
Another essential stress coping strategy – according to 92% of creators – is to add active self-care into your daily schedule.
Instead of slaving away most of the time and then taking time off, make sure you do things you enjoy every single day.
No matter if you call it self-care, system maintenance, or something else. Block off time to dedicate to your personal happiness and fulfillment, rather than working on content.
“Pacing is key!” one creator who’s been successful for over four years said. “Make sure you take time out for self-care so you can operate efficiently and happily. The audience can tell when the energy is off.”
Outsource
Another tried and true strategy to lower your stress levels as a creator is delegation. Outsourcing time-consuming tasks such as video editing and graphic design, especially, lightens your workload and lets you make time for creativity and self-care.
In total, 63% of creators say that outsourcing is an essential element in battling creator burnout. Among those who outsource, three in five say that it’s had a direct positive impact on their mental health.
Meditate
Finally, there’s meditation and – for some – spirituality. Overall, 56% of the creators we surveyed said these are important elements in their daily lives that help them cope with stress and avoid burnout.
“Unity of mind, body, and soul is very important,” one YouTuber said. They’ve been active for less than two years, but earn over $2,500 per month off their content.
“If you take care of your body you will have a healthier mind. If you cultivate better mental practices and positive inner dialogue you will make your soul happy. This helps you reach peak creative flow. Stay true to yourself, your vision, your creative spark.”
The Bottom Line
As a creator, burnout is a serious threat to your mental health and your long-term success. Incorporating stress coping strategies into your creation workflow right from the start helps you avoid it.
Taking time off, exercising regularly, scheduling self-care time, outsourcing time-intensive tasks, and meditating are all fantastic ways to battle burnout. Here’s to resilience, mental and physical health, and sustainable success on YouTube.
FAQs
Creator burnout means that content creators no longer have the energy, motivation, or inspiration to work on their channels. “I knew I was experiencing burn out when the thought of creating content became overwhelming,” one creator said. “No matter what I did to try to put myself in the mindset of creating, I always felt like it was too much.”
A new study by Tasty Edits revealed that 79% of creators have experienced burnout in the past.
The most effective strategies to avoid creator burnout are taking time off, working out, and scheduling time for self care in your daily life. 63% of creators also say that outsourcing helps them deal with stress, and 56% say they use meditation.
The most effective strategies to avoid creator burnout are taking time off, working out, and scheduling time for self care in your daily life. 63% of creators also say that outsourcing helps them deal with stress, and 56% say they use meditation.
