Photography burnout is caused by a culmination of daily stress, whether it be work, life, not enough alone or creative time, or doing work that just isn’t meaningful to you. Burnout is not about giving too much of yourself, it’s about trying to give what you do not possess.

Today we chat about the signs that you are approaching burnout and what to do to avoid it.

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1. Your to-do list feels like a mountain (6:46)

Simplify your work and when you are going to do it. Pick your Top 3 tasks and schedule them for the week. Give yourself permission to not get everything done perfectly.

2. You are utterly exhausted (7:39)

Rest is essential to restore our creativity, to create balance and to fuel us as humans. Check in with how well and how much you are sleeping. And when you are tired, everything feels more stressful and overwhelming. How is your nutrition? How about hydration?

3. You have stopped creating just for yourself (9:00)

When I get stuck in the rut of client work, I stop creating what I love, and doing personal projects. The quickest way to get me out of a place of creative photography burnout is to learn something new from someone who inspires me, or to cruise Pinterest for something that sparks my interest, or to do a model call. 

4. Your inner mean girl is in the front seat and fear has taken the wheel (9:48) 

Are you talking to yourself like a friend or are you in full on bully mode, picking yourself apart?  When I let fear take the driver seat, I freeze. I stop creating, I stop doing all the things that light me up, and I get stuck.

5. You are too accessible (10:18)

You need to have boundaries and set expectations for clients as to when you will respond to messages, and when you will be working.

6. You’re comparing yourself to highlight reels on the Internet (10:44)

We forget that behind those perfectly curated feeds is someone who isn’t perfect. So if you need to turn it off, or just not watch those that might be particularly triggering, it is totally ok. 

7. You’re not having any fun (11:30)

Get back in touch with what lights you up in a non-work way. Learn something new, join a club, plan time with friends. Life is no fun when it’s all work. 

8. Everything feels like a chore (12:16)

A tell-tale sign of photography burnout for me is my attitude and how spicy I am. When I’m tired, cranky, and not my best self, I know it’s time to book less, charge more, and rest more.

Have a listen to my previous solo podcast where I share 8 ways to get out of a creative rut!

Discover more about Lisa DiGeso and the Milky Way

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Bio: Lisa DiGeso is the owner of Milk & Honey Photography and founder of The Milky Way – a photographer’s resources.  Over the past 12 years, she’s photographed over 1,200 newborns and helped over 21,000 students through online classes +  retreats.