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Creativity Unbound - Awakening Courage and Passion at Midlife and Beyond

Staying Creative at Work

when you're frustrated and burned out,
and your boss hasn't come up with a new idea since 1978

by Lynn Marlow

Over time, almost any job can become rote and uninspiring. If you feel bored or burned out by your work, chances are you aren't getting enough opportunities to be truly creative. Creativity connects you with your intuition and inspiration, helps you take on challenges, and helps your work flow from the inside out. When you’re working in the flow, every task you take on requires less effort, and your best ideas and creations come to life.

Start from the inside and work out. Your workplace may be more flexible and accepting of your suggestions than you think. On the other hand, if you discover that you really are stuck in a dysfunctional, unhealthy work environment, and have little control over the situation, it may be time to take a leap to something new. Here are some ideas for doing what you can to express your creativity at work, and for making a change if you need to.

Trust in your value, your unique perspective. Regardless of the talents and skills of the other people around you, you have something important to offer. Don’t try to be like everyone else. Be yourself, be true to what you think and what you believe. Businesses need all perspectives to function at their best, and they wouldn’t have hired you if they didn’t want to hear what you have to say.
Take the risk to express yourself. Most businesses recognize the value of true innovation, and want their employees to think creatively. Even if you’re convinced that your boss is stuck in the dark ages, you have very little to lose by sharing your ideas about how the business can be better, faster, or more creative. The worst case scenario is that you are ignored. The best is that you may make some powerful changes, and be recognized for your brilliance.



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Not everyone is at their most creative in a brainstorming session or a staff meeting. You may be convinced that you’re not creative because those noisy, fast paced meetings just shut you down. More introverted people need some quiet for their ideas to generate and take shape. If you’re one of those people, try to relax when you’re in the midst of rapid-fire discussions, and stop trying so hard to think of something brilliant. You will never do your best work under that kind of pressure to perform. Instead, take some quiet time after the meeting, and write down your thoughts. Then send them, in a memo or email, when you’ve polished them into something you feel good about, to the people who count.
Learn some stress management techniques and use them. There are many, all designed to lower the levels of adrenalin and other stress hormones that damage your body. You’ll find some good strategies below.
Start a journal, but instead of just writing about what's wrong, make it a journal about dreams and aspirations. Use your writing to get a clearer sense of what you want out of life, and to flesh out your vision for your future. Putting it down on paper takes you one step closer to making it a reality.
If you’re feeling frustrated and burned out, channel your anger in a more productive direction. Take the time and the energy that you would spend complaining about your boss, or how frustrated you are with your job, and instead brainstorm about what you would do if you have the chance. Get together with your coworkers, over lunch or after work, and start an “if I were boss...” fantasy game. Encourage each other’s ideas, and see how many you can come up with.You’ll keep your creative energy alive, and may come up with some ideas that you can actually use at work.
Recognize when your job is hurting you, and you need to get out. If, in spite of your efforts at dealing with stress, finding outside activities, and talking to colleagues, you gradually feel worse and worse, the job is toxic to you. Start thinking strategically about the kind of job you want to have, and put together an action plan and a financial strategy, that will allow you to change jobs as soon as you can. Keep your eyes open for future Creativity Unbound articles that say more about succeeding at a big life change.
If you decide to leave your job, don’t make the same mistakes all over again. Finding happiness means finding the right job fit, and that takes some time. You know yourself better now than you did before. Use that knowledge to design the absolutely perfect job for you - and see how close you can come to hitting it.
Work with a coach to define what you want out of your work, and how best to achieve it. Making big changes is very hard, and take a lot of energy over a long period of time. Few of us can do it all by ourselves. Working with a coach keeps you motivated and on track, and gives you the support to keep going when you feel tired or discouraged.

Here's the Coaching Bit —

Learning to manage your stress is necessary to keep your creative flow going, and to help you survive a less than desirable job situation. So until you’re able to find your perfect career, make sure you’re taking care of yourself.

Creative expression is a great way to manage your stress. But here are a few other strategies to try.

Meditate, or use a guided imagery or self-hypnosis exercises for relaxation. If you focus within yourself for 20 minutes to an hour, you will feel calmer, more centered, and less stressed. Do it often, because the feeling is cumulative.
Even if you don't have a block of time for relaxation or meditation, try to center yourself on the fly. Between each task, at the top of every hour, frequently throughout your day, stop for a mini-break. Stop what you're doing and put everything down. Take two or three slow, deep breaths. Focus for a moment on your immediate surroundings, and before you move forward, make your next choice deliberate and meaningful.
Engage in moderate exercise, like taking a walk, swimming, or playing a game of baseball. The rhythm and movement will change your surroundings, calm your body, burn off agitated energy, and clear your mind.
Talk to a friend, your spouse, or a therapist. Don’t keep it all bottled up inside. When you do talk, though, don’t just gripe. Before the conversation ends, talk about how you can cope better or change the situation. End on a high note, feeling creative and empowered.
Express your creativity in any way you can. Find a hobby that indulges the talents that your job ignores. Hobbies that use a different part of your brain are especially good. Start a craft project, paint your living room, build a bookcase, learn the guitar, or write poetry.
Don’t ignore the importance of spirituality. Whether it’s through church or meditating in your garden, you need to feed your spirit. Even when all else feels out of control, you always have the power to be the person you want to be, and to live by your own beliefs and values.
Massage, energy work, or body work, from a skilled and experienced therapist does more than just relax you. Find a gifted massage therapist who can help your body to heal, and your energy to flow.
Do something meaningful to you. A lot of times burnout and stress come from feeling powerless and useless. Spend just a little time working for an organization or charity you believe in, and you’ll get back your feeling of efficacy.
Join a group of people who share your interests. If you love the outdoors, join a hiking or gardening club. If you like to sew, join a quilting circle. If you like to perform, try out for a local theater production. Go online to blogs and chat rooms on topics you enjoy. You’ll meet others who share your passions, and widen your circle of support.

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