Milkman's mental health tips in the creative industry
At Milkman we foster a happy and healthy team of creatives. The wellbeing of our staff is of high priority. From one creative agency to another we want to share our top tips for being kind to your mind in this ruthless and critical industry.
While the creative industry is what fuels us and gives Milkman positive inspiration it can be a double edged sword in other aspects. The harsh competition, rejection, long hours, ruthless criticism, and sometimes questionable comments made by demanding clients.
- Re-define failure and success
If you haven't failed at anything recently then you clearly aren't challenging yourself or trying new things enough! Being in the creative industry requires us to take risks and be open to criticism and rejection, all in the name of learning and bettering our approach.
Ask yourself this, what is your definition of success? And the last time you ‘failed’ was that really so? Or did you just not meet other people's expectations of you?
- Accept doubt during the process
Having doubts about your work in the creative industry is written in the fine print once you enter the world of design and marketing. If you find yourself facing any self-doubt, know that this is actually very important and a lot more common than you might think.
Why would self-doubt be important? If you feel this way it is probably an indicator that you care about something and have the opportunity to push yourself in this moment.
The key to not letting self-doubt get to you is to learn how to recognise when it is based on truth or if it is rooted in deeper self-esteem issues.
- Ask better questions
Change. Your. Mindset. If you are asking yourself negative questions like “Can I really do this?” reverse that to be something more positive like, “How can I do this?”
Questions help us to problem-solve, they keep us curious and adaptable. Don’t stop asking questions, pose the following: What areas do I succeed in? What are my strengths? What things do I need to walk away from? Where can I improve? Write these down to help you.
Hitting the ball back in their court
When faced with negativity or pressure from others at work it will immensely improve your wellbeing if you flip your reaction and thinking. Instead of reacting in a negative way in response to negativity, put the ball back in their court. Start asking “What are your concerns with this?” and “How can we be more productive without working overtime?”
- Create work boundaries
Working too hard is a thing. Workplace burnout is also a thing! When you overwork yourself by staying up until 3am to finish a deadline the client doesn’t care if you stayed up late. They care that the brief is successfully completed to their liking.
If you are constantly working late you might want to start getting more organised or consider which clients that you take on.
It is an unhealthy habit that many of us in the creative world get caught up in that can perpetuate and have a detrimental effect on your mental health.
Rest is essential to help flourish your productivity and your mind. By taking a break or going outside you can find a stream of inspiration to help improve your creativity in design at work.
How are you supposed to learn and grow if you’re constantly looking at the same work on your screen all day and night?
All in all, pursuing a career in the creative is not an easy journey. It is an endless pursuit of curiosity and creation, which is why it is important to nurture your wellbeing in the process.
For more Milkman tips on balancing your work and wellbeing follow along for part 2!
