Minding your Mind: Mental Awareness for Creatives

5 Ways To Manage Mental Health as Creatives

Ever wondered if there is an existent link between the mind and creativity? Have you also thought about your mental health as a creative?

The truth is that the relationship between creativity and the mind is so much that there is bound to be a strain on the mind of a creative.

Over the years, we have seen creatives; artists, musicians, writers, poets and the likes resorting to suicide as a result of depression.

Some instances include Vincent Van Gogh, the famous Dutch Painter, who cut his ear off after an argument with his friend and committed suicide a few years after, Virginia Woolf who swam to the middle of a river and drowned herself, and Popular Nigerian DJ XGee who also committed suicide in 2018.

The list is endless, as most of these creatives tie their craft to their state of mind. For instance, there’s a running narrative that most poets suffer from mental health issues. Although this may not be wholly true, there’s no denying the fact that a lot of poems have sad undertones and innuendos.

In spite of the gory reality of creatives and their mental health, as a creative, there are some simple things you could do to keep your mind in check. Here are five self-help tips for caring for your mind:

Connect, Connect, Connect

Quick question: When you think about an artist, what comes to mind?

An empty canvas, brushes, paint, apron, and solitude; unless there’s a need for a model. This image defines the life of a creative, whether we like to admit it or not. Even among friends, fans, colleagues, and family, there is usually this measure of solitude.

There is no doubt that creatives are pressed for time and may have issues interacting with people, especially for leisure purposes; however, this is necessary for creating a mental-physical balance. Inasmuch as our phones make it easy to connect with people, there is a need for physical connection. Plan a meetup, leave your laptop, TV, and canvas for a while, join networking groups and don’t be afraid of sharing your thoughts with someone who listens.

Stay Active

Sitting for long hours behind a screen or a desk has as much effect on you mentally as it does physically. Another way to manage your mental health is by engaging in physical activities. Exercise has a well-known positive impact on the mind, and you will do yourself a whole lot of good if you indulge. If you have an issue with physically demanding activities, you could go for a walk, a run, a swim, or dance to your favourite song. Whichever way you choose to go, these activities serve to release endorphins that boost your mood and keep your mind in top shape.

Check Your Stress Levels

Stress is unavoidable no matter your work type or niche, and it could affect your mental health if not controlled. Since it is almost impossible to avoid stress as a creative, you could decide to work on managing it. One way to relieve stress is by talking to a familiar face about how you feel; Another method is by appealing to your senses; listen to soothing music, drink your favourite coffee, use a stress ball; whatever works best for you. Also, you need to prioritize your leisure time; don’t compromise on your break periods and indulge yourself in fun activities like seeing a movie, reading a book, or taking a stroll. Adopting a relaxation practice can also help inhibit stress levels; you could take up yoga, deep breathing, mindfulness meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation.

Maintain a Healthy Diet

Your food intake has a direct and indirect way of affecting your mood. Undoubtedly, you may get tempted to grab a quick snack while creating magic; however, it takes a toll on you over time, especially when healthy meals are lacking. Switching up your diet to a healthy one can help improve your sleep pattern, make you look and feel good while leaving you mentally sound.

Don’t Compromise on Sleep.

The impact of sleep on one’s mental health cannot be overemphasized. When you compromise on sleep, it affects your mood, energy level and even your ability to deal with stress. As much as adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep, it is sometimes difficult to sleep immediately when your head hits the pillow. In a bid to solve this, you should endeavour to stay away from the lights from phones, tablets and your TV for at least 2 hours before you sleep. Another way to optimize your body to this routine is by making and following a regular sleep schedule.

Your mental health as a creative is crucial for whatever line of work you do. There is only so much you can do when your mind is muddled up.

Finally, if you notice a fast unravelling of your mental health, you need to seek professional help. Therapy sessions with a trained psychologist can help keep your mental health in check.

Don’t forget to mind your mind!