Writer’s block. Self-doubt. Imposter’s Syndrome. Dry spells. It doesn’t matter what you call it, the result is pretty much the same thing: creative burnout.
Let’s face it. We’re all stressed.
We’ve had it drilled into our heads for years now that social media is a requirement for authors, new and established. Publishers want to know you’ve got a following now, or at least some semblance of a web presence. Because they know as well as indie and self-published authors that in this current social media-obsessed society, it’s the only way to sell books.
The downside to social media, however, is the effect it has on our creativity and productivity as authors. I’m not just talking about the hours wasted scrolling through your Twitter feed while putting off writing, or, like me, the countless hours spent on Pinterest pinning everything from SuperWhoLock memes to home decorating ideas.
I’m talking about the constant onslaught of negativity that exists on every news feed in the world right now. It doesn’t matter what side of the political spectrum you fall on: it’s all one giant dumpster fire of hatred and anger and helpless rage.
Then we still have personal stress.
I’m not even going to ask if you’re stressed right now or on the verge of burnout. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who wasn’t harboring some stress, even if everything is going smooth at the moment. (Let’s face it, most of us find those smooth-sailing times just as stressful, right? Waiting for the other shoe to drop?) So, yeah. Our stress is up there.
So, how are we supposed to create anything when we’re faced with so much worry and stress coming at us every second of the day? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.
Self-care is necessary for authors to avoid burnout.
No, I’m not going to tell you to unplug. You hear that wild thumping sound that just started? That’s my heart even thinking about going social media-free for any amount of time.
I don’t know if you paid attention to my tagline when you followed whatever link brought you here, but in case you didn’t, it’s simple: Squeezed Too Thin is about my journey to mental health as a romance author. And because a lot of what I’ve been dealing with in the last few years (depression, ADHD, PMDD, and grief) is relatable, I wanted to help other authors in whatever way I could.
So I did one of my favorite things in the world: I started to make a list. It’s in no particular order–I’m not that organized–and, disclaimer, there are some affiliate links involved. That just means if you click on any of the links and buy something, I get a small profit at no extra cost to you.
Apps. All the apps.
I told you I wasn’t going to ask you to unplug. Instead, I’m going to point you in the direction of some of my favorite apps, grouped by category.
Mental Health
Youper. I LOVE this app. It’s definition is literally Your Emotional Health Assistant. That’s it. That’s what it does. It assists you with your mental health. Through quick conversations based on therapy and meditation, it’s an AI mental health wizard right in your pocket. Or purse. Whatever. Basically, it asks you a few questions, you answer. You choose your mood, the reasons factoring into it (work, friends, family, or add in your own), and it keeps track over time. It asks you more, pointed questions, forcing you to think through scenarios, and then talk them through. Their website claims it studied data on 100,000 anonymous users, and after an average of a daily 7-minute conversation, 80% of them felt happier after using the app. As I said, I love this app. It keeps track of what makes you happy, sad, tired, optimistic. Calmed, depressed, ashamed, numb, and more. It asks questions to get a baseline on your depression, anxiety, moods. If you’re stressed, or just want to feel happier, you won’t regret downloading this one.
Self-care
Headspace. We’ve heard by now how good meditation and mindfulness is for our mental health and well being. It’s proven to significantly decrease stress and anxiety, calm the mind, and I don’t think there’s anyone who’s actually anti- meditation. I mean, what’s to complain about just sitting still and not doing anything for a few minutes? Except, if you’re like me at all (thanks, ADHD), your brain is never actually quiet or peaceful. That’s where Headspace comes in. It guides you, and it does so without being pushy or interfering. And get this, a quote from their website:
“In fact, completing just one 15-minute session of meditation using the Headspace app resulted in 22% reduction in mind wandering. And four weeks of using Headspace daily resulted in 14% increase in focus.”
What’s not to love about that?
Distraction
I Love Hue. Okay, this is another app that I absolutely love. While technically a game–you have to arrange tiles into perfect color spectrums–it’s so visually calming, you’ll find yourself wanting to spend hours playing it. Everything about the app, from the colors to the designs, are soothing and stress-free. It’s the perfect distraction to keep you off Facebook or Twitter for a little while.
Productivity
Slack. I normally wouldn’t put a recommendation down that I haven’t used myself, but Slack is one of the fastest growing companies of all time. And the big reason I’m recommending this one in particular on a self-care for authors post is its team project abilities. No more stressing about missed emails from cover designers or editors. (I SWEAR Gmail has been gaslighting me for freaking years.) Slack makes collaboration as easy as possible, and you can add collaborators to specific conversations, and keep them out of others. Can you imagine the stress relief that could come from this app?
Creativity
TED Talks on Creativity. We’ve all heard of these, right? But have you ever sat down to actually listen to any of them? (Point of fact, I haven’t: I’m part deaf with Auditory Processing Disorder–meaning I have extreme difficulty listening and hearing things, processing details, and keeping up with what’s being said to me. But TED Talks offer transcripts with their videos, so I’m good.) Anyway. There’s a reason these are so popular–they have the ability to change your life if you listen and pay attention and try.
What about you? Which apps do you swear by to keep you sane? Let me know in the comments!
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