Uninspired, unmotivated, overwhelmed, and unable to focus?
I see you. It’s discouraging as hell to go through a creative drought, but you don’t have to stay stuck.
In this post, I’m sharing three apps that helped me work through creative burnout and find enthusiasm for creating again. If you’re feeling bogged down, read on to find out how these apps can help you.
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What Is Creative Burnout?
Creative burnout is a state of reduced creativity and motivation caused by mental overexertion or exhaustion. It feels like you’re in a deadlock, and you can’t get excited about anything.
Common symptoms of creative burnout include mental fatigue, being unmotivated, and feeling overwhelmed.
It’s devastating for your career or side projects, and has a negative impact on your relationships and overall health.
So it’s important to recognize the signs of creative burnout and take steps to manage it, such as taking breaks, setting realistic goals, and engaging in activities that help to restore your energy and creativity.
How Apps Can Help with Creative Burnout
There are a variety of apps that can help provide relief from the symptoms of creative burnout.
Some offer a range of features that can help ease the feeling of being overwhelmed, and others give you a break from the monotony of everyday life.
Many of these apps feature activities like meditation, self-reflection, and habit tracking that can reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.
It’s tricky to peg down the cause of creative burnout, but there are tools that can help you work through it. Three apps have helped me stay motivated when I’m feeling burned out: Balance, Finch, and TickTick.
These apps have helped me break through blocks, remember to rest and take time for myself, and find inspiration for my work again. Below, I’ll go through the details of each app so you can decide if they’ll help you.
App #1: Balance Meditation
The Balance app helps users reboot their minds from the stress and fatigue of a busy lifestyle. It’s an easy-to-use platform that can help restore your energy levels in just a few minutes a day.
The core idea behind Balance is simple—to help you take control over the quality of your life through mindful practices. The app features daily guided meditation sessions, relaxing music tracks, and over 20 plans to help you develop skills that will give you a sense of clarity and focus when you need it.
With its helpful reminders and inspiring insights, Balance app can be your go-to tool to beat creative burnout.
How Balance Helped Me Recover From Creative Burnout
The Balance app lets you choose between two voices: Ofosu or Leah. This might sound sad and lonely, but I feel like Ofosu from Balance is my friend.
I suppose it’s not surprising, as we’ve spent over 60 hours together. I look forward to opening the app each day and “meeting with” Ofosu.
What I love about this app compared to other meditation apps I’ve tried is it teaches you skills you can use every day. Skills like spotlighting and breath focus have lessened my stress and improved my focus.
I used to fall asleep with the TV on and wake up feeling worn out. Since I started completing a sleep meditation with Balance and leaving the TV turned off, my level of overwhelm has decreased by a lot.
Balance taught me meditation is beneficial for anyone willing to set preconceived notions aside and take a few minutes to reset their mind and connect with themselves.
Price for Balance: Currently free for a limited time!
App #2: Finch
Where my ‘90s kids at? If you enjoyed a Tamagotchi when you were younger, chances are you’ll love the Finch app. Finch is a self-care pet that helps you make your health a priority in a fun way.
Your finch will start out as a baby bird that grows up as you complete exercises designed to help you take care of your mental and physical health.
Finch lets you easily access resources to help you manage stress, build resilience, and stay connected with your community. Features include daily goal setting, journaling exercises, mindfulness prompts, and tips on creating healthy habits.
How Finch Helped Me Overcome Creative Burnout
When my therapist recommended this app, I was skeptical. It felt silly as a 40-year-old to have an electronic pet. But the Finch app has proven to be an excellent ally, and I’m fond of my bird “Yeet.”
When I’m struggling with my mental health, getting “credit” for doing simple things sends my mood and motivation soaring.
Yeet checks in on and celebrates me, and that helps remind me that someone cares. While I haven’t taken advantage of it yet, it’s possible to add others to your Finch neighborhood with a friend code. I look forward to adding other Finch users to get (and give!) more support.
Price for Finch: Free or $39.99 a year for premium features.
App #3: TickTick
It’s hard to bang out your best work when the creative spark just isn’t there. Fortunately, there are apps that can help you keep track of tasks and stay organized when you don’t have the energy. An app I love for habit tracking and task management is TickTick.
This app helps you prioritize tasks and manage your workload. With its customizable features, you can create lists, set reminders and deadlines, track habits, and more.
TickTick has a built-in calendar feature that helps you prepare for upcoming events and makes sure you don’t miss deadlines. Also, it integrates with services like Google Calendar so all your data stays up-to-date no matter where you go.
How TickTick Helped Me Work Through Creative Burnout
I used to delight in remembering everything and writing nothing down. I love that my brain holds thoughts like flypaper traps annoying insect terrorists, but I’ve realized I spent so much mental energy remembering things I had little left to do my work.
When I sat down and set up recurring tasks and habits into TickTick, I could shift more energy into coming up with new ideas and completing projects.
TickTick’s habit tracker helped me start healthy habits without overwhelming me. The app’s gentle habit reminders make me excited to complete tasks and track my progress. I find this app indispensable and TickTick has been a great tool for helping me move toward my goals.
Price for TickTick: Free or $27.99 a year for premium features.
Final Thoughts
Using apps to work through creative burnout is an effective way to remind yourself to take breaks, schedule moments of self-reflection, and stay inspired.
When you track your progress and take time for yourself when you need it, you can avoid burnout and keep creating without feeling overwhelmed.
By experimenting with the apps in this article, I’ve reignited my creative spark and I’m showing up every day with renewed enthusiasm. So if you’re feeling depleted, grab your phone and download these apps today.
