The Work/Life Balance: How Much Time do Creatives Really Spend Working?

We all know the millennial generation is being overworked – the question is, what can we do about it?

We all know the grind of a creative career - how do we make it more manageable? Photo: Marvin Meyer/Unsplash

According to recent studies, the traditional 9-5 is quickly being ousted as the go-to format for work. In 2015, it was estimated that nearly one-third of all U.S. workers had participated in some type of freelance or temporary project. With more millennials entering the work force (as well as Gen Zers), it’s no surprise that work/life balance is shifting. Our generation is known for, thanks to the Internet, having the ability to work remotely, setting our own hours, and setting A LOT of those hours. We work way more than the generations before us. We’re overworked, and burnout is high. All evidence points to needing a solution, but what is it?

As the old adage goes, ‘Work smarter, not harder.’ We need to take matters into our own hands, and find tools that help us work smarter, not harder.

For creatives, one fix is finding assets and programs that assist in the time-consuming nature of our work. Products like Smashworks, which provides pre-built elements for video editors, and is a template that integrates right into Adobe Premiere Pro, cut down significantly on time spent editing.

Another fix is to be mindful of your time, and just how valuable it is. Learning the art of saying “no”, and being cognizant of your time (and others’) is a huge factor in work/ life balance. When you can effectively identify how long a project will take you, and budget your time accordingly, things will start to fall into place.

A third fix: cut down on comparison time. This often stems from social media use, which in and of itself is a time waster; when you’re using platforms to compare your work to other creatives, instead of focusing on your own, it can create ripple effects that could have a negative influence on your productivity levels.

Using technology to our advantage, instead of letting it dictate our lives, is the way of the future. It’s time to take time back into our hands.