5 Essential Self-Care Tips for Artists and Creatives

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​Are you confused as to how other artists manage to stay in a productive creative flow and can't help but feel jealous when seeing incredible new artworks others are constantly sharing? Do you want to make a living from your art someday, but doubt whether you'll have the courage, character and determination required to succeed? Does criticism and/or lack of support make you feel so low, that you want to stop creating altogether?

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If you're set on becoming an artist, and you're constantly feeling any (or all) of these things, it's imperative that you start working on yourself, alongside your artistic skills. This is going to be absolutely essential for you if you ever want to achieve lasting success. 

Being an artist is tough. Not only are we entrepreneurs (which means we work a lot, wear a ton of different hats and have to be willing to push ourselves out of our comfort zones every-single-day), but we also have to consistently create quality work that people will want to buy.

Work that, in most cases, is created by us and us alone. Work that is pretty much a piece, or extension, of ourselves.

​All of this makes it necessary to stay strong if we're intending to make a living from our passion. 
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In today's blog post/YouTube video, I'll be sharing the top five things that I make sure to do on a weekly basis in order to stay healthy both mentally and physically as an artist.

​Since I started doing these things consistently a few years ago, not only have I been able to make much faster progress, but I'm also able to enjoy what I do much more and have been able to improve my self-confidence to a degree that I'm able to myself out there in ways I never thought possible. 

It wasn't always like this though, and I'm getting very personal about my past today, which is something I very rarely do online. I do this with the hope that some of you out there will resonate with my story and really grasp how important prioritizing self-care is if you want to reach your goals. 

I want to keep creating art until I'm a little old lady, and I hope that you also intend to keep inspiring and awakening others through your art for as long as possible. 

It is my objective with this blog (and my YouTube channel) to help aspiring artists improve their skills and pursue their passions. However, we cannot give our all at any task if we're unwell mentally and/or physically.

​Not to mention, many of us artists are inherently sensitive, which is even more of a reason to stay aware of our wellbeing and set systems in place to ensure that we're not exhausting ourselves. 

Artists have had a bad rap throughout history for living in excess and having erratic personalities. I'll have none of that! Whenever tragedies that artists (from all fields) have partaken in come into my mind, I also remind myself of all the others who have led happy and fulfilling lives.

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“An empty lantern provides no light. Self-care is the fuel that allows your light to shine brightly.”
-Unknown

Before getting into the tips, I'm going to share a bit about my own personal struggles with you. I truly hope that if you feel scared, lost, uncertain or incapable of making it as an artist, this helps you understand that by working on yourself, you'll be creating that solid foundation you need in order to become the artist you've always wanted to be. 

If someone had told me five years ago that I would be here, putting myself and my work out there in front of so many people and building my own art business, I would have never believed it. I was there, too, feeling all of those things and doubting whether I was ever going to do anything significant with my life.

For the longest time, I ignored my health and even abused things. I didn't even give thought to how my habits could have repercussions and was completely oblivious about the underlying issues that were causing my negative attitudes and self-harming behaviors.

I ate very poorly (or not at all), drank a lot (alcohol was the only thing that seemed to relax me), and never ever exercised. Mentally, I felt detached from others around me, numb to certain things in life that others considered important, and on edge all the time.

I felt simultaneously stressed and exhausted. I went through pretty low points at which I felt completely lost and confused as to what I was supposed to do with my life. 

I was jealous of people around me that seemed to function so well and didn't understand how they could do that when trivial things affected me so much. I wanted nothing more than to be able to relax and enjoy life like others seemed to be able to do.

There were some days that were easier than others, but for the most part, I felt like there was something wrong with me. I won't even start getting into the disgusting, pesky little habits that I started developing to due nervousness. 

This went on all throughout my teenage years to my mid-twenties. 

It all changed when I had to go to the E.R. for the first time in my life due to a severe abdominal pain that wouldn't allow me to stand up straight. I'll spare you the details, but I was in bed and unable to move for about two weeks, in a pain unlike anything I'd ever felt before.

​It got to a point at which I was unable to breathe properly because it hurt under my ribs when I did. 

Needless to say, the whole experience scared me a lot and I decided to make life changes. 

I realized I was pushing myself way too much and that the stress level that my current job was causing in me was just unsustainable. With all this in combination with my total and utter lack of self-care, something was bound to happen sooner or later.
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Click on image to go to original photo source over at unsplash.com.

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I started doing tons of research and learning all I could about everything health related. In small increments, my life habits started changing. I began eating a lot more healthily, exercising several times a week, drinking more water, limiting alcohol and junk food, etc.

I also started reading self-help books and actively sought information from psychologists who helped me understand more about anxiety disorders.

A lot of things became clear to me at this point in regards to past physical ailments, nervous habits and my mental processes. Once I knew what was happening and why, everything changed.

​My monster now had a name and I started learning strategies to implement so that I could live my life without letting it affect me to such a degree.

I still have a lot of work to do and realize that some of these things are going to ride along with me throughout my life. However, I've embraced my weaknesses as parts that make me myself. What matters most is doing what I can to continue moving the needle forward every-single-day and working on becoming a better version of myself. 

Today, at 33, I can honestly say that I've never been in better shape, I've never been happier or more productive, and my life goals have never been clearer to me. If I  hadn't made the firm decision to take better care of myself, and made mental and physical health a priority, I would have never gained the courage and confidence to be here now.  

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If you enjoyed this video and found it helpful, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. I share a brand new video every week with art tips, drawing and painting tutorials and mindset/productivity tips for artists. *Subscribe HERE*
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Self-Care Tips for Artists and Creatives:

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1. Take care of your body. It does a ton​​ ​for you and it's the only one you've got. 

​As artists, we tend to sit and hunch over a lot. Not only this, but a lot of us tend to get into our work to such a degree that we can work for hours on end. Some of us start to develop back pain or even carpal tunnel or tendonitis due to the amount of hours spent working. 

It's absolutely imperative to set daily working hours and take breaks throughout your day to move and stretch. If you're anything like me, and get so into your work that you forget to even drink water, I recommend setting an alarm once every hour. Prioritize movement, no matter what. 

Schedule in specific days to exercise every week. It doesn't really matter what kind of workouts you choose to do, just make sure that you do them. If exercise isn't something that you currently do, start slowly and incrementally. I'm a total fan of fitnessblender.com and have been working out to their videos for years now.

I highly recommend you check them out if you want to exercise in the privacy of your own home, for free and with minimal equipment. They provide all sorts of workouts for every fitness level so there's really no excuse!

*Disclaimer: I'm not being sponsored in any way. I really do love FitnessBlender and use the website every-single-week. 

I'm now at a point at which I work out intensely at least five days a week doing HIIT workouts, kickboxing and strength training. As an artist, I focus on keeping my posture strong and staying limber. 

I'm not going to tell you how to eat, but please be aware that what you put into your body has an effect on you at all levels. If you eat poorly, your brain and your body aren't going to work the way they should be, which leads to lower levels of productivity.

I limit my intake of junk food and am always aware of whether what I'm eating/drinking is something that will nourish my body and make me feel good. 

Finally, make sure you're sleeping enough. Sometimes we may fall into thinking we'll be able to make more progress if we stay up late burning the midnight oil, but the fact of the matter is that once we're tired, our work is going to be mediocre at best.

Unless you can get away with waking up very late and/or you can ONLY get creative at night, you'll be much better off going to bed at a good hour and getting back to work once your rested and refreshed. 

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FitnessBlender website. Click on image to go there!

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2. Take care of your mind. Do whatever you have to do to stay sane in this crazy, crazy world.

​Just as important as taking care of your body, you should also make time to stay as balanced as possible mentally. For me, this means writing out my feelings and thoughts every single morning, and making sure I'm doing "brain-dumps" throughout the day in list-form, especially if these ideas could be useful for my work.

It's hard for me to shut my brain off, and these two exercises are absolutely essential for me to do on a daily basis. 

I highly recommend writing, as it's a great way to declutter your creative mind, organize thoughts that could be useful and let out the ones that could be bothering you.

Taking care of your mind could also mean starting your days with 10 minutes of meditation, taking a walk mid-afternoon to clear your mind, or sitting down for dinner with your partner to talk about your day. 

​I love waking up early and being able to take my time getting ready for the crazy day I know I'll be having. If I don't have that quiet time for myself at the beginning of the day, my entire day will suffer.

I have adopted the habit of writing morning pages after waking up and I also do my best to have another quiet moment to myself before going to bed to be thankful for everything I have.

​As an introvert, having time to myself is absolutely essential for me to recharge. I don't feel guilty about missing social gatherings if I don't feel up for it. I tell others about this and am completely unapologetic about it!

The alone time each of us needs varies, but I really think that even the most extroverted people should make time for introspection and self-analysis. And wherever you're at in the spectrum, if you feel that you need help, never hesitate reaching out to others.

​Sometimes even doing research on your own is very helpful, as it allows you to understand that there are others out there feeling the same way you are. Reading self-help books is something that has helped me understand anxiety and I no longer feel broken or alone. 

Here are three great books that I read this year:

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3. Review short term/long term goals (personal, work and interpersonal). All of them are important!

​Most people go through life without really giving thought to what they truly want. They settle for what's expected and let life happen to them instead of fighting for their dreams to come true. This is a surefire way of feeling unfulfilled and unhappy. 

With introspection comes getting to know yourself, and with getting to know yourself comes discovering what you truly want in life. This alone will bring you a ton of clarity.

Once you're there, it's important to give thought to your specific short-term and long-term goals in order to set the necessary steps to get there. No matter where you're currently at, prioritize those goals. 

A while back I wrote a blog post titled Time Management for Artists: My Secrets for Staying Consistently Productive, which I highly recommend you check out if you feel like you're wandering aimlessly through life.

I provide a free workbook to help you set your personal, work and interpersonal goals, as well as ideas for scheduling your week to ensure you're making progress each and every week. 

For me, it was imperative to learn to say no to the things that didn't align with my goals once I had set them. I realized time is the most valuable resource I have and I don't want to waste it on activities or people that aren't going to help me get closer to them.

​It may sound harsh, but we absorb the negativity and positivity from those around us. As creatives, we should strive to be around people that are positive, have big ideas like we do, and lift us up. 

As you work towards your dreams to come true, please don't forget to celebrate each and every small victory that comes your way!

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Check out my FREE Patreon-exclusive tutorial and class samples here.



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4. Schedule time for organization and adulting. Keep your working area as safe and inspiring as you can. 

Unless you're a clean freak, have people that help you with homely chores, or don't have very much going on in life, I'm willing to bet that your home and/or working area tends to get cluttered and messy pretty fast. 

Most of us are directly or indirectly affected by the environment we're in, which leads to being more stressed and less productive.

It also leads to more accidents, wasting time when we're unable to find things we need, and it can also lead to more serious health problems depending on the type of artwork we create. So make sure you're staying as organized as you can, and always follow safety instructions when using materials that are toxic. 

If you paint like I do, always work in well-ventilated areas and use gloves so that potentially harmful substances don't come into contact with your skin. If you can, check out brands of art products that are doing their best to provide non-toxic paints and mediums like Gamblin! 

I like scheduling in at least a bit of time each week to take care of cleaning, organizing and other administrative tasks so that things don't pile up (literally and in my head). It may initially seem like a waste of precious time but I assure you you'll be saving time in the long run. 

As artists, we do what we love for a living, and keeping our studio organized and inspiring to work in really helps keep things as enjoyable as possible. 


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 5. Schedule time to disconnect from your work. Make time to socialize and set aside time for activities that relax you.

​As artists, we spend a lot of time alone. It's important to make sure we're nurturing the relationships we have with people that are important to us. We can't let the connections we have with amazing people fizzle out OR keep ourselves locked up to the point that we miss opportunities to meet other great humans.

​No matter how introverted we may be, we need some degree of connection with others in order to feel happy and fulfilled. Treasure the relationships you have with those amazing people in your life.

​Finally, make sure you're doing things that relax you and bring you joy. As an artist, I'm sure creating art was initially something that brought you a great amount of pleasure.

​However, if it is now work for you, I would suggest looking for activities that allow you to disconnect for a while. I enjoy going to the movies, planning a dinner with friends or reading a good book. 

​Remember that the best ideas come when we're actually living our lives and not stuck in our studios!


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Photo by Zachary Nelson at unsplash.com. Click on image to go to original source.

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That's it for today, everyone! I hope you found this blog post helpful and that you start making your mental and physical health a top priority. I promise you that your work, as well as every other aspect of your life will greatly improve if you stick with it.

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