“Why did you choose to come here today?” is the question I asked today at the start of the third training day of “Connecting Communication in your work” at a passionate and idealistic creative agency in Utrecht.
The first reactions to this question were: “Because it was scheduled” and “Because I am extremely busy today.” A silence followed in which the word “chosen” began to sink in. Then came the answers highlighting things like creativity, inspiration, connection with colleagues, wanting to contribute to a better world, being of significance… the real, underlying reasons why we get out of bed in the morning.
My question is intended to make participants aware of the trade-offs they make and the needs they fulfill through their work. We are sometimes so accustomed to saying “I have to go to work” that we forget we choose to do so, and in doing so, we also choose not to do something else. Because alongside the aforementioned needs that our work fulfills for us, there are usually also needs such as self-care, rest, sleep, relaxation, caring for the family, connection with our loved ones, and movement.
Stress and burnout in the creative sector
How is it that we can sometimes lose sight of those other needs to such an extent that we (nearly) collapse? And why does this happen substantially more often in those “fun” and “meaningful” organizations and professions? I have often discussed this with former colleagues in the creative sector, drawing from our own experience of working in the creative field.
Media Studies professor Mark Deuze wrote a book about this phenomenon titled “Well-being and creative careers – What makes you happy can also make you sick,” in which he describes why employees in the creative sector deal disproportionately with stress, burnout, and depression.
One of the main reasons Mark Deuze gives is that when we identify so strongly with our work that it defines our identity, it encourages a level of devotion to our work that blinds us to what is not so good or healthy about the environment or organization in which we work. As a result, we lose sight of an essential part of our needs—namely, the part that ensures we still take good care of ourselves and dare and are able to protect our boundaries.
Within the creative sector, there is also often the idea that rules, structure, and agreements would hinder creativity. Chaos is seen as something “that just comes with the territory” and “that you just have to be able to handle,” otherwise you wouldn’t be suited to work in this world. Fortunately, more and more attention is being paid to psychological and social safety in various creative sectors, and I notice with new generations of employees that they are already much more conscious of what they do and do not want or accept, which is a positive development.
Nonviolent communication in the creative sector
Nonviolent communication can be an excellent tool for becoming more aware of your feelings and needs. It helps you to notice in a timely manner when needs are being compromised and to make more conscious choices. Furthermore, it is highly applicable for effectively articulating these choices and the resulting boundaries to colleagues and supervisors.
If you would like more information about what Equanimity can do for your team or organization, please contact Boris Nauta (boris@equanimity.nu).