3 Steps to Avoid Burnout and Find Your Inspiration

How to Be Creative in the Ordinary

It's so easy to experience burnout. In the midst of crammed work schedules and bustling family demands (not to mention sick seasons—thank you, winter with small children), I often feel like a candle whose flame has run out of wick. In fact, most weeks, I fall into a predictable pattern that looks something like this:

• Wake up at 7 am to get the 5-and 7-year-olds ready for school

• Feed the one-year-old breakfast and play until 9 am, when my mom comes to babysit

• Work from home all day, sitting on my couch and staring at my computer screen (hoping to at least get a walk in but don't on most days)

• Welcome the boys and husband home from school/work at 3:30 pm, start dinner, and try to squeeze in a family adventure of some sort

And this list doesn't take into account all the brotherly bickering and dirty diapers and house chores that are squeezed into any remaining daily margin.

Don't get me wrong—all of these full days and the spaces in between are built on a foundation of love that I wouldn't trade for anything—but as a creative who thrives on feeling inspired, I find that every day responsibilities become like bricks that, one by one, begin to squash any semblance of inspiration that tries to sprout.

So how, in the midst of a typical busy life, can we foster the soil of creativity to let our inspiration bloom? The answer lies in learning to find our muse in the mundane. While there are different ways to cultivate this practice in our everyday lives, the key is learning to recognize the seeds of inspiration in the ordinary—and in my own busy life, I've found three essential ways to do this.

1. See Every Diaper Change (or Dog-Poop Scoop) as Holy

Oh, how easy it is to feel unappreciated! And the more we feel unappreciated, the less and less creative and inspired we become. Whether you're a stay-at-home mom who changes diapers and cooks dinners and cleans gross bathrooms (I empathize, fellow boy-moms!) without so much as a thank you, or you're feeling unseen and unheard at work or by your friends and family, this vicious cycle can quickly spiral into a repetitive routine that drains creativity.

I get it. As a stay-at-home mom who also works full-time from home, most days are thankless. And by the end of the day, my creative soul is feeling crushed under the weight of dirty dishes and laundry and piles of first-grade homework that I still need to help my seven-year-old finish. But I've found that one of the most effective ways to find inspiration in these moments is to change my perspective and see every moment as holy. Seeing every moment as holy is the idea that in everything we do, we're doing it for the Lord instead of for recognition (Colossians 3:23).

Ever since I was little, I've struggled with routine, especially with the parts that feel like all the hard work I've done will quickly be undone (wrapping presents, making my bed, pretty much every household chore). But when I really tap into the perspective that every moment is holy and that God smiles on every chore I do with a happy heart, that burden of feeling unappreciated and weighed down by routine starts to lift. I start to realign myself to the awareness that every moment—especially all the moments of minutiae—is holy and a gift from God.

I know—this idea is easier to digest theoretically than practically. And on some days, I really struggle to move this idea from my head to my heart. But there are resources to help! One of the best books I've found is the Every Moment Holy series by Douglas McKelvey. Consisting of three volumes, this series contains topical prayers, or liturgies, that focus on everyday, menial tasks, with the goal of elevating the moment from the mundane to the profound.

When you pause in the midst of a whirlwind routine and dedicate each thankless task to our God, who sees it all, joy and gratitude will follow—and the inspiration to create as well.

2. Take a Walk or Drive (or Just Close Your Bedroom Door)

Another essential ingredient for creativity is finding the space to be alone and intentional. You're probably reading this sentence in disbelief and thinking, "If my life is so busy, how can I find the time to be alone?" Believe me, we're in the same boat! But I promise that if you can dock this boat in a little bay by yourself for even a few moments a day, you'll discover the waters of inspiration.

Finding time to be alone feels impossible most days. And even if I can sneak away for a moment to myself, often I just want to space out and scroll. But I notice that when I actually take the time to be alone and intentionally don't occupy that space with filler, my mind wanders into creative corners I so often forget exist.

Creativity is different for everyone. Maybe you feel most creative when you're cooking, crafting, woodworking, or singing. For me, writing and the visual arts are where I feel most creative. I'm currently working on a novel (one slow paragraph at a time), and most days, I feel stuck; it's like the busyness and demands of a day zap any semblance of creative thought from my mind. But if I can manage to be alone and give my mind a little time to wander, it surprises me with fresh, inspired thoughts for how to move my characters forward.

Practically, here are some steps you can take to get alone and be intentional with that time:

• Take a drive and be silent. Every other weekend, I drive 2-hours one way to take my oldest son to see his dad. So often, I want to space out and listen to podcasts or music or talk on the phone. But if I resist these temptations and just sit in the silence, my imagination wakes up and wanders. But I've found that driving alone to the grocery store can provide the same benefits.

• Take a walk. I'll admit that most of my walks aren't alone; I'm usually accompanied by my one-year-old and our German Shepherd. But since neither of these companions can talk, these walks are mostly silent. While my feet get in steps, I intentionally usher my thoughts toward my novel.

• Take a bathroom break. Sometimes, walks are a luxury. If the weather is too cold or your kids are too demanding, slipping away to the bathroom to take a long shower or a few deep breaths can give your mind the space to stretch.

3. Engage with What Inspires You Most

What do you find most inspiring? If you're a foodie, trying new restaurants or recipes might be your thing. Or maybe walking through IKEA makes you want to build your own furniture (okay, this one probably only applies to hardcore woodworkers). For me, I love watching a good film. As a writer, I'm deeply inspired by compelling characters, and when I watch a movie that hits just the right spot, I take a piece of those characters with me—and they inevitably inspire my own work.

While you likely have go-to inspiration motivators, sometimes extending your scope can help you tap into underutilized sources of creativity. To help you think beyond your typical sources of inspiration, consider the following:

• Find mood in music. Mood and emotions can be powerful motivating factors for inspiration. For example, when I'm sad, I write my characters differently than when I'm happy—and this can be a very good thing! Sometimes, a character needs to be molded from a place of sadness. One of the most effective ways I've found to tap into the right mood for whatever I'm working on is through music. Looking to create a zesty recipe? Try pairing your cooking with some high-intensity beats. Wanting to paint a landscape? Try some mellow music. While this might seem self-evident, music really is a wonderful way to provide a guiding soundtrack for your inspiration.
  

• Seek opportunities for play. Creating and playing are intrinsically linked. Look to any child to witness how the construction of mud pies, blanket forts, block cities, etc. are central to their play and imgaination. Likewise, we adults are at our most creative and inspired when we allow ourselves to play. While play will look different for everyone, at its essence, it's about letting loose, being carefree, and being fully present in the joy of a moment. My husband finds this through casual running. My teenager finds this through drawing. You might find it through sharing uncontrolled laughter with friends or singing along to your favorite song in the car. Whatever it is, do more of it, and you'll discover inspiration follows.
  

• Stop and smell the flowers. I've gotten into a bad habit of taking walks with the goal of hitting a certain number of steps and a specific heart rate—good for the stats on my fitness watch but bad when it comes to finding inspiration. Numerous studies show the health benefits of being in nature, but I think we can take this deeper to say that when we linger in nature—when we take in the animals and insects and flora and fauna with our senses—it's like adding paint to our inspirational palette.

While finding your muse in the ordinary can be a challenge, like tending the soil in spring to experience the summertime blooms, it's worth the effort.

To find more tips for getting inspired, check out my substack, Inspiration in the Ordinary.