How can you help clients prioritize self-care in their creative work?

Make self-care a non-negotiable part of your creative work routine by scheduling time for activities that rejuvenate and energize you. Remember that taking breaks and caring for your physical and mental well-being can actually boost your productivity and creativity in the long run. Seek support from mentors or peers who can hold you accountable for prioritizing self-care and offer guidance on maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Sometimes your clients will tell you things without being aware of it themselves. Simply reflecting back to someone what they told you can open their eyes. I had a client once who couldn’t stop talking about painting in her garden. When I asked her about the last time she had done this activity she couldn’t even remember because it was that long ago. Halfway the session she asked if we could end early because she felt so inspired and the sun was shining outside. The next day she texted me how grateful she was for me telling her to start painting again. I never told her. She told herself.

To assess their needs, it is important to know them as a person fully! Let’s be CREATIVE: Coach- Coach the client, not just their situation Reality-check – Explore the Reality around Expectations- Explore their Expectations from the work Awareness- Build Awareness around barriers, beliefs, actions taken Thought-provoking- Present in creating their AHA moments Invite- Inviting them to share their Insights Vision- Visiting their Vision Equality- Equal partnership while we assess

The wisdom of stoic philosophy is very relevant today when it comes to adding self-care to your routine. An example is to take a few deep breaths upon awakening and expressing gratitude for your sleep, your new day of life etc. Plan your day the night before with what you want to accomplish and how you want to be that day (compassionate, strong, assertive, kind). Visualize yourself acting in a way that you value and how you will react to adversity. At the end of the day review and learn from your day, and how you want to improve for next day. This time journaling (self reflection) is also a form of self care,

Es ist wichtig, die Bedürfnisse meiner Klient*innen zu erkennen und Selbstfürsorge in ihren Entwicklungsprozess zu integrieren. Durch aktives Zuhören schaffe ich eine Akzeptanzkultur, die es ihnen ermöglicht, offen über Herausforderungen und Wünsche zu sprechen. Gemeinsam identifizieren wir maßgeschneiderte Selbstfürsorgestrategien, die nicht als Luxus, sondern als essenzieller Teil des kreativen Prozesses verstanden werden. Von regelmäßigen Pausen bis zu Meditationsübungen, arbeite ich mit meinen Klient*innen daran, ein gesundes Gleichgewicht zwischen Anspannung und Erholung zu finden, welches ihr Wohlbefinden in den Vordergrund stellt.

I love the expression part here. Expression is such a powerful tool for expansion. Some people write, others sing, paint, dance, or make music. Everyone has a way of expressing themselves and to help your clients make their favorite way of expression a part of their daily life will help them feel more fulfilled overall.

Talk, not discuss. Over a cuppa, no papers or laptop in front of you, not even a pen. Just a cup of whatever beverage is the most relaxing for everyone and a good laugh is sometimes the most revealing about what they value in life and work.

Die Integration der Werte in den Selbstfürsorgeprozess ist essentiell. Das Ziel ist, Selbstfürsorgestrategien zu entwickeln, die diese Werte widerspiegeln. Dieser Ansatz stellt sicher, dass Selbstfürsorge nicht als zusätzliche Aufgabe wahrgenommen wird, sondern als Ausdruck ihrer wahren Selbst und Lebensphilosophie. Beispielsweise, wenn Kreativität ein Kernwert ist, könnte Selbstfürsorge das Einrichten eines inspirierenden Arbeitsplatzes beinhalten. Ist soziale Verbindung wichtig, könnten Treffen mit Gleichgesinnten als Selbstfürsorge dienen. Dieser werteorientierte Ansatz fördert nicht nur die persönliche Entwicklung und Zufriedenheit, sondern macht Selbstfürsorge zu einem integralen und bereichernden Teil des Lebens und Arbeitens.

To help clients prioritize self-care through exploring their values in creative work, encourage them to reflect on what truly matters to them. Guide them in aligning their projects with their core values, fostering a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Promote a balanced approach that includes time for reflection and activities that resonate with their beliefs. Teach them to set boundaries that protect their values, avoiding overcommitment. Stress the importance of authenticity in their work, which enhances well-being. Support them in cultivating a supportive community that shares similar values, creating a nurturing environment for their creativity and self-care to flourish.

O próximo passo é explorar os valores e crenças de seus clientes e como eles influenciam seu trabalho criativo. Quais são seus principais valores? Quais são suas fontes de inspiração? Quais são seus pontos fortes e fracos? Como eles se expressam? Como lidam com críticas ou conflitos? Como eles alinham seu trabalho com seu propósito? Ao ajudar seus clientes a articular e refletir sobre seus valores, você pode ajudá-los a encontrar significado e direção em seu trabalho criativo e superar crenças limitantes ou medos que podem impedi-los.

The prefrontal cortex, notably the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and the default mode network (DMN) are key brain regions involved in creativity, supporting cognitive control and idea generation, respectively. Self-care practices such as mindfulness meditation reduce stress, aiding DLPFC activity and DMN connectivity. Additionally, adequate sleep, exercise, and emotional regulation through self-care enhance brain function, fostering cognitive flexibility and emotional expression crucial for sustained creativity and innovation in creative work.

It depends on your client, however, most people won’t do sh*t until they have established a clear plan + a motivating ‘why’. Helping your clients to create a plan in the session creates extra accountability and makes your client more committed to their own success. Don’t forget the ‘why’ though ;)

Considerar los límites saludables en el trabajo creativo, evitando la sobrecarga de tareas y el agotamiento es enseñar a los clientes a priorizar sus tareas y delegar responsabilidades cuando sea necesario, esto les permitirá mantener un equilibrio adecuado entre su trabajo creativo y su autocuidado. Fomentar el autocuidado en el trabajo creativo no solo mejora el bienestar de los clientes, sino que también puede aumentar su creatividad y productividad a largo plazo. Como sostiene el autor Stephen Covey, "los cambios que producen una verdadera mejora en nuestra vida también requieren disciplina". Inculcar hábitos de autocuidado en la vida diaria de los clientes les permitirá alcanzar su máximo potencial creativo de manera sostenible.

To help clients prioritize self-care in their creative work by reviewing outcomes, encourage regular reflection on their achievements and areas for growth. Foster a mindset that views feedback and outcomes as opportunities for learning rather than sources of stress. Guide them to set aside dedicated time for self-assessment, focusing on how their work aligns with personal goals and well-being. Promote the practice of celebrating successes, no matter how small, to boost morale and motivation. Encourage the use of constructive criticism to refine their craft without compromising self-esteem. Teach them to balance ambition with realistic expectations, ensuring that striving for outcomes nurtures rather than detracts from their well-being.

Find their muse and use it to reawaken their inner artiste. Ask questions about their lives and loves, or show pictures from magazines or advertisements and see what brings that twinkle back into their eyes. I have even done table yoga to boost their inner reflection.

Slowing down. Remind your client that to slow down, sometimes means to speed up. Many people get caught up in their own expectations and want things to go as fast as possible. However, this might sometimes cause disappointment, discouragement and discomfort. Advising your client to slow down and trust the process creates a lot of room for growth for many people.

Empathize. Show compassion and remind them that perfection is a moving target. If reminders don't work, be proactive and actually initiate something that takes them away from the work/project for the moment so they recharge without actually planning to.