4 simple ways to beat scrapping burnout

Whether you’ve just recently dove head first into digital scrapbooking or you’re a long time lover, it is certain you will at some point feel uninspired and easily overwhelmed. You might just be burnt out on digi. The secret to avoiding the next phases of burnout – angst and rejection – is simply accepting this phase in your life. This too shall pass and your love for the craft will return. To speed up the process, try one of these 4 easy tricks.

Let go of perfection
Give yourself a free pass to not be the scrapping wonder woman. Take a leave from one or more of your CTs. Rely on templates to get those pages just right. Scrap less and give yourself more time to complete a layout. It’s OK to slow down.

Purge your stash
Sometimes you need to be reminded of a worn alpha, that perfect scalloped mat or the prettiest paper your eyes have ever seen to get your mojo back. Take this time to decompress and slowly declutter. A few minutes here and a few minutes there – next thing you know you’ll be scrapping again with that ‘must use now’ element.

Tackle a challenge
Perhaps your burnout is more of a rut. You create similar layouts each week and as time passes, you find them to be ‘just OK’. Break out of your mold by trying a shop challenge. In particular, try a scraplift of someone’s style who is very different than your own. Even better, try an inspiration challenge that uses an ad or a photo as the jumping off point.

Go offline
Sometimes you just need to change the channel. Try a paper or hybrid project. Rekindle that relationship you used to have with knitting – you know, the one you had before you started scrapping. Spend time with your friends and family. Read a book. Just get off the computer and check out for a bit. Make more memories to scrap later when you’re refreshed.

As a bonus, here are some to tips from the Twitterverse:

• @thelegacylady: Need Inspiration? Try Your Local Quilting Store
• @MaternalSpark: 5 Creativity Killers and A Simple Way to Jumpstart your Creativity
• @paulzadie: “Next to creativity, speed and efficiency are key attributes of a pro. Keyboard shortcuts are the best way to maximize those attributes.”
• @desireefawn: “There is so much to learn from each other and about each other’s culture. Great creativity begins with tolerance.” Yo Yo Ma.
• @jimkastkeat: The 6 Myths of Creativity
• @ceree: “Beauty is a byproduct of simplicity and efficiency.”
• @amb68: Creativity + Productivity + Simplicity = Abundance

To regain clarity and reduce the feeling of burnout, streamline your life just a bit more, for just a bit of time. Try new things, seek new experiences. Rest, recoup and return to digital scrapbooking with a renewed spirit and a fresh perspective.

How do you bust through feelings of burnout or scrappers block?