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5 Easy Self-Care Tips to Recharge Your Creative Mind

Creative burnout is real, people. And it’s a bummer. Luckily, there are many ways to get a healthy routine going to fight off the artistic doldrums. Fellow Chicagoan, yogi, fashionista, and creative thinker Gina Martirano wrote all about how to recharge your creative batteries and refuel your brainstorm tank. Here are some healthy self-care tricks to put into practice!

If you’re a creative person (or any person at all, for that matter), then you know the importance of much-needed rest and relaxation. Have you ever had those days where you are working on a deadline for a project but your mind is blank? It’s like there are NO creative juices flowing. You are not alone. Many creative people go through this because we can’t always be creative right on the spot or under pressure/stress. I have a few self-care tips to help you recharge and calm your mind to hopefully get those creative juices flowing again!

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Feat. Budi Satria Kwan’s “Peace and Love” on a women’s muscle tank.

Get up and do some yoga

My motto is, “When all else fails, do yoga.” As a creative, it’s essential to take some time for yourself. Calm your mind, get out of your own head and spend some time tuning out your to-do list and just be present. Yoga is a mind and body experience. You sync and control the rhythm of your breath (Pranayama) to the yoga postures (Asana). Once you link your breath to each posture, the chatter in your mind will begin to quiet down and your body will move more fluidly with the poses in a natural flow (Vinyasa). If you have no idea what I just said, that’s okay too! Get to your local yoga studio/gym and check out a class, or search online for free videos. 

Get some sleep

This may be an obvious (and necessary) self-care tip, but it’s one that’s overlooked by many. When your body is mentally and physically exhausted and you can’t think straight, it’s time for you to hit the hay. The National Sleep Foundation suggests that adults (ages 18-64) get 7-9 hours of sleep per night. That means you should set a limit on how many episodes of your favorite Netflix show you are going to watch for the night and stop scrolling through social media. If you have difficulties falling asleep, drink some chamomile tea before bed, dab a few drops of lavender essential oil on your pillow, and put on a calming sleep playlist. Chances are when you wake up in the morning, you will feel refreshed and ready to conquer the day.

Feat. Kingdom at Heart’s “Watercolor Wave” on a water bottle.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!

I know from personal experience when I’m really busy or under a lot of pressure, I tend to forget about drinking water. Dehydration can oftentimes lead to stress. Our brains need water to function properly and good hydration will help to keep you at your best. I like to carry a water bottle with me and fill it up throughout the day. I also enjoy making fruit infused water, which is so delicious! You can add freshly sliced strawberries, lemon, orange, grapefruit, etc. into your water bottle to make it tasty and refreshing- you’ll want to keep refilling that bottle all day!

Take ‘spa water’ with you on-the-go. (Feat. Kingdom at Heart’s “Watercolor Wave” on a water bottle.)

Take a hot bath

There’s just something about taking a bath that really soothes my soul. When I meet people who hate taking baths, I tell them that they need to jazz up their bathtime ritual to make it more enjoyable. Pick up Epsom salts (lavender is my favorite), a book or magazine, some candles and search for a good playlist! Choose a reading piece that is unrelated to work. This is your time to enjoy some well-deserved self-care!

Feat. arrynando’s “Banana Jungle” on a rope handle weekender bag.

Try a new recipe

If you’re anything like me, you have a gazillion recipes pinned on Pinterest. Chances are you haven’t tried even half of them. Everyone gets busy, and sometimes ordering food or cooking a quick meal is the easiest option (I’m guilty of this too). I personally love to cook, so trying out a new recipe is exciting and enjoyable for me. If you love to bake, then do that! Just do something different. If it doesn’t turn out, that’s okay too; at least you tried something new.

Maybe you try all of these tips, or maybe you just try one of them. I hope you can work to incorporate more self-care practices into your life. We all need time to recharge and reset every now and then. One of my favorite quotes is, “You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.” On that note, make some time for a little R&R!

For more tips, check out Gee Nicolette on blogspot.

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Gina Martirano

My name is Gina Martirano, but my friends call me Gee. I was born and raised in the Chicagoland area but my heart belongs to New York style pizza. My blog is Gee Nicolette and I write about all things fashion, yoga, food, and lifestyle. When I'm not scrolling through my Instagram feed, I am usually crafting, shopping, exploring new places, or spending time with my family and friends.