People often focus all their attention and energy on business, and can become one-dimensional. Because they keep you sane and prevent burnout, there are also “artsy” things that can be just as valuable as working.
There should be balance in your life. You shouldn’t do all the work and not enough play. Play can prevent burnout by reviving the spirit, relaxing the mind and reducing stress. Even businesspeople need to take a moment to smell the roses every once in awhile.
These are 10 relaxing, playful, and “artsy” distractions that can help reduce or even prevent burnout.
Dancing
Richard Gere stars in the film “Shall We Dance”. You can see the positive effects that “artsy” dancing lessons have had on Richard Gere over time. Dancing stimulates communication between the right and left sides of the brain, allowing them to work together more. It is a form mental gymnastics. Dancing is great for people with learning disabilities, as it forces the stronger part of the brain to collaborate more with the weaker. Better thinking leads to better business results. Try ballroom, line, hip hop, jazz, ballet, salsa dancing lessons. Because it keeps the mind focused on something other than work, it helps to aerate the body and prevents burnout.
Drawing, Doodling
Relaxing is allowing your mind to flow freely and not limiting your drawing or doodling. Be a passive observer to your pen/pencil and hand creating lines, shapes and spaces. Drawings can have symbolic meanings and subconsciously important. Doodles can contain great ideas. You might find some solutions, approaches, and angles that could be useful in your business. Your “artsy” doodles can give you a lot of great ideas. Sometimes, it is necessary to put in a lot of effort when thinking. It is easy to let go of control and be free.
Playing a musical instrument
A friend, who heads a rapidly-growing software company, plays the violin in a symphony. He brings it along to play at conferences. You can escape from the daily grind by playing a musical instrument alone or with a group. It is a great escape to a spiritual world that doesn’t burn out.
Nature Special Walks
Let the woods lead you for a walk. Stop at the entrance to the woods and let go. It sounds strange, but it is possible! Accept the energy of the woods, and let go of all responsibility. As you let go, you will feel the relief and decreased tension. Do not think about where you want to go. Instead, pay attention to the places and times you are being drawn. Don’t follow. This is a great way of learning how to follow the flow, which reduces stress and helps to prevent burnout.
Gardening
A garden can often be viewed as a metaphor for the rest of life. Just like in a business, there are both good and bad forces. There is death and life – ideas, products, clients, services, work, and customers. There are predators, competition. There are predators – competition. We can only do our best to make things right. Gardening is a great way to escape the artificiality of buildings (plastic, concrete, and arborite) and to reconnect with the real world. Acceptance of life’s events is key to avoiding worrying about what might happen. Peter Sellers’ movie, “Being There”. Simple statements made by a gardener about his garden can help him inadvertently become an admired business guru.
Singing with a Choir
Life can be lonely, whether you’re an individual business owner or a corporate leader with fortune and fame. It can feel lonely and distant from others. Burnout is a great time! A choir can be a great diversion. It allows you to bond with others and provides anonymity, which is something we often crave. For a time, you can get lost in the crowd. Escape. It lifts spirits by doing something together that is beautiful. Nobody cares about your status or how powerful you might be in a choir. Burnout is also reduced.
Penmanship and Calligraphy
Over the years, handwriting has suffered a dramatic decline. The passenger pigeon is now the master of precision penmanship. Beautiful handwritten letters were once exchanged between people. Their sign of education, and their personal statement was penmanship, was handwriting. We now type in symbols, tweet and use short forms with computer-generated fonts. Calligraphy requires a lot of concentration and effort in order to create beautiful calligraphy. Calligraphy reveals personal talents, abilities and skills in a way machines cannot. This type of “artsy”, if done well, can bring out a lot of pride. Your business will stand out if you display your work.
Hands on Arts & Crafts
Clay pottery, model plane building, leather craft and glassblowing are all therapeutic and enjoyable ways to improve your skills, talents, and abilities. By taking the mind off of daily work, hands-on activities can reduce burnout. You can also use the products of hands-on activities to increase income for your business, or to decorate your office. This will impress clients and visitors. Burnout can be reduced by feeling good about yourself.
Theater
You might consider joining an acting group, instead of watching other actors on stage. You can do this through your local library or community classes. Arty drama lessons can improve communication skills, and help people overcome shyness or modesty. Sometimes it is fun to live as someone else, such as a detective or explorer. Acting allows people to see things from different perspectives. The anonymity of acting can be a great way to relax. You might be able to use acting techniques to better deal with customers and clients who could be making you feel exhausted.
Tinkering
Creatively seeing the world and creating new relationships with it is another way to release negative energy that can lead to burnout. Analyzing and categorizing machines and appliances is possible by disassembling them and putting them back together. Thinking is a key skill in tinkering. You can become more aware of the relationships between parts and details by being more attentive. It is a practice to see the whole picture and recognize that they all relate. Business and attitude are improved by having better skills.
Positive outcomes can be achieved by engaging in “artsy” activities. Positive effects can be made on decisions, strategies, relationships, and problem-solving. The incubation time of ideas is extended. Management, marketing and accounting are all business courses. While these courses are valuable, “artsy” classes can make businesspeople more knowledgeable. The best part is that “artsy” activities can be just plain fun, healthy and creative. They also have a calming effect.
Business requires a lot of left brain thinking (logically sequential, concrete) and less right brain thinking (playful random, abstract). “Artsy” activities exercise both. They improve brain coordination and allow for more creative thinking. This helps to reduce stress that can lead to burnout.
