Workload is the most obvious burnout factor. You’re either feeling overworked or you’re not.

Part of the reason content creators get overloaded is the destructive myth that you have to constantly be creating 24/7 to be successful. While it’s true that you need to be putting out regular content, consistency is usually more important than volume — especially if you already have other work to manage, like being a student or having a job (or both!). Plus, you also do a lot more than what people see on camera.

So with workload, favor consistency over constancy and be honest with yourself about how much work you’re actually putting in. Also – because it needs to be said – take regular time off. Your brain needs to rest, and you can’t be effective creatively if both your brain and body are struggling.

Rewards can come in many shapes and sizes. Most of the time when we think about rewards, external (aka extrinsic) rewards come to mind first. A paycheck is an external reward for working a job; getting praise for good grades is another example. There is nothing wrong with wanting these kinds of rewards, and in fact we need many of them just survive (rent is not going to pay itself). One of the problems with external rewards is that you are not directly in control of whether or not you’re rewarded. By definition, external rewards require that someone else has to give you the reward. 

Rewards can also be internal (aka intrinsic) like satisfaction or a sense of purpose. Yes, getting paid is strong motivator to get up and go to work, but feeling like you’re making a difference or deriving a sense of fulfillment from your work is an additional motivator for showing up. Internal rewards can be very powerful but they can also be harder to come by. If I show up to work, by law I get a paycheck but personal satisfaction is not guaranteed. 

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Reward’s Role in Burnout

Recall that the burnout triad is exhaustion, ineffectiveness, and detachment or cynicism. Content creation can be exhausting work, even if you’re just doing it for fun, because it requires time and effort and creativity and a host of other talents and skills depending on the medium.

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Within the context of burnout, control is feeling you have autonomy to set your own goals and how you achieve them. Usually, lacking control looks like being micromanaged or having no say in your work goals, timelines, or how you accomplish your work.

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Community and Burnout

Community is factor number four in contributing to burnout. For content creators, when we think ‘community,’ we think about our audience — followers, viewers, Discord members, etc. In burnout research, however, community refers to our colleagues, co-workers, peers, and the sense of connection and belonging we feel with them. When we don’t feel belonging or connection, it can contribute to burnout. 

Community Challenges for Content Creators

So what does this look like in content creator workspaces? The two main obstacles in a traditional workspace – isolation and conflict – are still major obstacles in content creation. 

Creating Connection & Community

Despite being in a hobby or career that is highly social and almost always connected, content creation can be a lonely place. Here are some tips and suggestions for preventing or addressing community-related burnout.  

Looking for Group​

One suggestion we’ve heard to help create a sense of community is to join a group for regional content creators. A lot of major metropolitan areas have groups with both an online presence, as well as in-person meetups and programs. Finding a group of supportive people who share similar work experiences can be a helpful way of finding connection, support, and helpful advice.

Buddy System

Individual connections can also be helpful. If possible, find another person whom you work well with, and can have regular, in-person or digital working sessions. This can give you the opportunity to connect and collaborate with someone with similar interests and experiences, decrease social isolation, and increase the feeling of belonging.

You Contain Multitudes

The importance of finding community and connection with colleagues can be especially true if you are able to connect with creators who share overlapping identities with you.  Each aspect of our identities brings with it unique experiences that those outside those experiences can’t fully understand. 

I’m autistic. Most people in my life do their best to make me feel included, and it shows. I’m deeply appreciative to them. However, there are things I face on a daily basis that they won’t understand the way other autistic people do.

Dr. B. Clinical Director at Take This

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What is Fairness?

Fairness in the workplace means that workers feel decisions are equitable, and that all people are treated equally and with respect. Pay, workload, opportunities, evaluations, and promotions are key places where fairness (or unfairness) show up. 

Keep in mind “fairness” doesn’t mean giving someone the outcome they want. Fairness is a process where people feel that they’ve been able to share their perspective or feedback, their experiences have been duly considered, and they’ve been treated with respect. 

Obstacles to Fairness

Power differential is a term used to describe the difference in power or influence that one person has over another. In the workspace, a supervisor has more power than a worker. In college, professors have more power than students. In healthcare, doctors have more power than patients. In each case, the difference in power means the authority figure has the ability to influence or apply pressure on the less powerful person. In the best circumstances, those in authority positions are aware of the power they hold and intentionally act in ways that are fair, equitable, and just. In less ideal situations, the power of authority can be used as a baton to force compliance. Fairness lives and dies by power differentials.

Fairness (or Lack Thereof) in Content Creation

Modeling Fairness

As described above, fairness in content creation is largely a platform level issue. However, there are things that content creators can do.

Model Behaviors

Make fairness part of your community’s culture. Once people get a taste of what it’s like to be treated fairly and with mutual respect, they’re often less tolerant of others who treat them poorly. This is closely tied with the upcoming section on Values. Having clear community rules and guidelines is a core part of community culture development and maintenance.

Fight for Fairness 

Hold others accountable. Be an active advocate. The loudest voices in the room are the ones that are often heard – let that voice be one fighting for equity. And always remember that when fighting for fairness and justice, caring for yourself is an act of defiance against those who stand in opposition of those values.

“Self-care is listening to what my body tells me, and honoring whatever it needs at that time. Not overexerting myself is self-care. Participating in activities that I love, like reading or hiking or tweeting or watching TV or doing nothing, is self-care. Self-care, for me, is a consistent effort to place myself and my needs at the forefront of my priorities.”

 Evette Dionne 

Fighting for fairness is also made less heavy by fighting alongside allies. This can be a hefty challenge for content creators, as discussed in the Community section. Protective bodies like unions don’t really exist for freelancers, though recent shifts in the gaming industry toward unionization could be a signal of systemic shifts to come in digital creative spaces.

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What Are Values?

Generally speaking, values are your principles or standards for living a meaningful life. In an occupational context, values are a set of beliefs, ideals, and practices that guide a company or organization. In terms of burnout, values are the motivational bridge between worker and workplace that extends beyond external rewards (e.g. paycheck, promotion, etc). Burnout is much more likely to happen when there’s conflict between your personal principles and the performed (not just stated) values of the workplace. 

Content Creators vs Platforms

A lot of value-based conflict between creators and platforms is how platforms enact their values. This is more than just expressing platform values in a blog post – it’s about the organization consistently and continuously acting in line with the stated values. Even if a content platform expresses values that match yours (e.g. inclusion, diversity, etc), if the day-to-day decisions of the platform don’t align with their stated values, it can contribute to creator burnout. 

Protect Your Valuables

On an individual creator level, you can protect and promote your values by making content that is meaningful to you. If you value education, maybe add a learning element to your content. If you value diversity and inclusion, you can actively promote different people and perspectives that uplift the community. If service and community are important to you, perhaps look into ways of directly supporting other creators! 

Whatever your values, adding meaningful purpose to your work can often help sustain your efforts longer than money can. This is especially true with creative endeavors where most people don’t make a lot of money. If you are making enough money to create content full time, money alone might not be enough to sustain you if your content isn’t personally meaningful. Especially given how many hours you put into your work. This can also apply to the ways in which you manage your community and how you approach any potential partnerships, collaborations, and sponsorships. 

Meaningful, purposeful work goes a long way to keep us going.

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