I didn't have an angle while starting this post. But as I did some free-writing, my experience at this Airbnb revealed to me what I really needed to counter burn out.
That little solution was basically called Inspiration.
This post is on a bit of a backlog because of how fast December (and half of Jan) went by... I did an Airbnb staycation on my own and it made me realise an important fact about working in the Business-to-Consumer line: Public holidays and Festive Seasons may be a good break for the rest of the world, but that's never the case for marketers. It's not something unheard of, but it's definitely not something everybody talks about.
I was up to my neck with work and collaborations during that period and thank God my company gave me 2 days of flexileave so I could work from home. And even at the (very gorgeous) airbnb I booked, I was shooting some collaborations - mostly with the epic help of a tripod or propped up magazines. LOL. Wish I took a photo of the set.
But despite all that hectic, looking back at the photos made me come to a conclusion that what really helps you regain your balance is being inspired. It's not always about experiencing something new, or seeing something gorgeous in this world. It can be the simplest of things: like finding tons of natural light. (Ps - I know I might sound like a plant that needs to photosynthesise but bear with me).
Stress in High Tension Situations
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I took a psychology mod in uni once which explained that stress is the most common cause of changes in brain functions. So, if you're planning to make any highly strung situation work, trust me honey, it ain't gonna work out.
dress from The Saturday Club
Finding Inspiration
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The thing about inspiration is that it can be gathered from anywhere. I once did a design research project where I read that you get the most inspiration (or the greatest ideas) from sitting on the toilet bowl.
I was looking far and wide to be motivated after feeling so burnt out. I wanted to plan trips overseas to see new sights, try new cuisines, etc. I was spending way too much during this period so that plan was scrapped. The backup plan to book this airbnb (only $60/night btw) was right up my alley though.
I watched the light work its way, bouncing off the architecture, seeping in through glass windows and creates lines, and even patterns, out of nothing. It made anything it touched glow in radiance. It was the perfect mix of diffused and perfectly colour corrected tone that flatters anything you shoot. That was inspiration for me right there.
So yes, I'm sure this "find-your-inspiration-when-you're-burnt-out" isn't for anyone. But it's definitely something to think about.
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