And Why Stepping Away Might Be the Best Move You Make

Let’s be real: constantly creating content is a grind.

Whether you’re shooting videos, editing photos, planning campaigns, or juggling five half-finished ideas in your head while your inbox screams for attention, it adds up fast. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably hit that wall a few times where the creative well feels dry and you’re running on fumes. Or on the opposite side, you have 10 half assed ideas with no real direction but you have to sit down, chill for a minute and re-group and figure out what’s the most important in terms of deadlines or what idea is actually worth a damn.

So let’s talk about it.

Burnout is real — and it's sneaky.

You don’t always see it coming. You just start getting a little snappier, the work feels heavier, your ideas feel meh, and suddenly that passion you built your entire brand on feels... lame. That’s burnout creeping in.

And trust me, no amount of caffeine or "hustle harder" quotes will fix it. Not even that old “hang in there” cat poster. We’ve all seen it.

What actually helps? Walking away.

Not quitting. Not ghosting your work. Just... unplugging. For an hour. A day. A weekend. Whatever you need to reset. I know it’s hard, trust me. If I lose my phone, I feel like a part of me is missing.

Sometimes the best ideas come not when you’re grinding, but when you’re doing something completely unrelated like driving, walking the dog, cooking, zoning out with mindless game (shoutout to The Break Room). That mental space is where the magic sneaks in.

Here's what helps me stay sharp:

Micro-breaks throughout the day — 10 minutes of daylight, no phone. Just quiet.
Scheduled creative sprints — Do focused work, then actually reward yourself with downtime.
A ‘parking lot’ list — Brain won’t shut up? Dump ideas in a note and come back to them later.
Playtime — Do something fun with zero ROI. No filming. No monetizing. Just like, touch grass.
Put the damn phone down — My biggest downfall is getting into bed, then it’s hours of doomscrolling. It's terrible for you, but what the hell do I know.

Remember: You’re the engine.

You’re the brain, the creative direction, the editor, the strategist. If you burn out, everything slows down. So protect your energy like it’s part of the job, because it is. When I am on it, like 100%. I’m a damn machine running on all cylinders. I can bounce from one idea to the next. Polish this, finish that detail here. I can juggle an insane amount of work, and…get it done.

So the next time you feel stuck, frustrated, or like everything you make sucks… walk away. Take a break. Step back. Go play a game, walk the dog, hell..make something to eat? Drink water? God knows when you did that last.

Your next big idea might be waiting on the other side of some downtime. I know my best ideas come to me when I am driving or zoning out to some music.