Written & Photographed by Madison Guetzkow

Modeled by Rachel Schmeider & Rachael Mueller

Many college degree paths lead those pursuing them to work a 9 to 5. Personally, my degree does just that. Going down this path means there will be a lot of monotony, which will be a swift change from the diverse schedule of a college student. This realization kick-started my need for finding ways to keep my mind and body happy and creative, even when I am in an area where that is not the status quo. Since I do not work a full-time office job yet, I decided to look towards people who do for help.

Workplace burnout is increasingly becoming more prevalent among members of the working class. With the US working hours being substantially higher on average, especially compared to other countries like Australia, the U.K., Sweden, Belgium, France, and Germany, it is easy to see why. The specifics of burnout are very subjective to each profession but tend to follow similar characteristics. It all boils down to being unable to properly manage stress. This is not only a mentally taxing issue, but it also has physical side effects as well. Stress and related burnout is not a medical condition but can be a major contributing factor to diseases such as hypertension, type II diabetes, and a myriad of mental health issues.

Alyssa Wright is a property and community manager in Rogersville. She works 9 to 5 Tuesday through Saturday. Her job entails maintaining properties, occupancy, and various other corporate tasks. In her free time, Wright works as a commissioned artist. She says that keeping a work-life balance is easy for her. She feels passion in everything, from making music to doodling in the office; she has found a way to make her career enticing to her. She added, “I think it's important, not necessarily to be two completely different people, but to make the separation of work and home”. Her main point of advice was not to take work home, but to always take creativity to work.

Alyssa Steward is a medical assistant at a Mercy clinic. Steward's duties include scheduling appointments, answering patients' phone calls and in-person inquiries, and performing other clerical duties. The most stressful part of her job is the understaffing and not having time to do necessary tasks. A substantial part of the job is needing to be present near the phone since patients could be dealing with life-or-death situations. To help de-stress, she likes to be outside with her animals and read. In order to stay creative, she does not take her work home. When she is home she finds that cooking with loved ones is an invaluable way to help her stay creative. Always thinking of something else she could do or add is a relaxing, creative experience. She says there is a clear distinction between work and personal life, and continues that “Putting up boundaries is incredibly important” In addition she says that “Knowing when and when not to say no is crucial to everyone”. One of the most important things you can do is be able to delegate to your coworkers.

A big role in developing burnout is a profession involving limited face-to-face interaction and those with a low work-to-compensation ratio. Cultivating creativity is not only important for one's well-being, but also for the work they are pursuing. It is necessary to foster an innovative, productive atmosphere. Creativity is such a widespread concept and, at the same time, very specific to each person. Being able to stay in a creative mindset can lead to useful solutions to problems that have not yet been addressed.

Whatever your passion, career, and hobbies are, it is vital to your own well-being to have a work-life balance. You are not only your job — life is so much more than that. Working may be a necessity, but that does not mean it needs to be a hindrance to your life. Stay curious about the world around you; there is always more to see.

Maintaining Creativity in Uncreative Space