“Creatives have a mid-life crisis every five years”

Creative Career Conundrums is a weekly advice column from If You Could Jobs. Each week their selected panel of professionals from the creative industry answers your burning career questions to help you navigate the creative journey.

This week’s question:

“How do I fall back in love with my job?

I’m turning 30 this year, and like everyone else in this industry, I’ve been through the ringer of redundancies, toxic agencies, client budget cuts and role changes. I’m at a point where I’ve done head of department roles, and tried to tackle the politics of it all, but all I find myself doing is moving further and further away from the work. However, I’m not even sure I love the work anymore? I’ve never felt more disheartened or clueless as to how to pick myself up again.”

Katie Cadwell, co-founder of branding studio Lucky Dip and The NDA Podcast:

I read somewhere that creatives have a mid-life crisis every five years. 

I won’t dwell on all the things that get us to that crisis place, but I believe it’s because creatives tend to be empathetic and liberal people – generally the opposite to how this world can feel. Our vulnerability makes us brilliant at problem solving and communicating, but it’s a double edged sword. Our creative strength is often the reason we burn out.

Sometimes, it’s okay not to love what you do. We’re sold the story that we have to be obsessively passionate about our work. But that’s a lot of pressure. It’s okay to feel like it’s a job for a while. Invest your energy into life outside the 9-6. Look to be fulfilled elsewhere and take the paycheck for a few months while you fill your cup.

The truth is the industry has changed since that narrative. We don’t have the opportunity to visit endless museums to get inspired, spend a day typesetting a poster, get the paints out and experiment. The industry moves faster. I’m hesitant to suggest side projects, because if you’re truly burnt out, then it’s not the best idea. But the fact you’ve written in means you want to reignite your creativity and side projects without clients, budgets, time constraints are the best way to restoke the fire. Choose something you’re excited by. You don’t have to show anyone the result – make it just for you.

If you’re tired of the studio politics, freelancing is a great way to step out of the hamster wheel and focus back on the work. You’re removed from politics, wake up every day to a clear calendar, and get resourced properly onto projects. Purely on the tools. A chance to work across different studios, disciplines, clients – a real opportunity to discover what makes you tick again. It’s not for everybody, but there’s a reason that most people who go freelance don’t return to traditional roles.

Don’t worry about feeling disenfranchised right now. If I had a pound for every time someone told me they want to quit and work in a garden centre… It happens to us all. The most important advice I can give is if you need to take a break, make sure you do.

In answering your creative career conundrums we realise that some issues need expert support, so we’ve collated a list of additional resources that can support you across things that might arise at work.

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