Leaping from Burn-Out to Fulfilment via ADHD and Creativity - with Emma Isaacs
My guest today is Emma Isaacs, Surface Pattern Designer and Creative Coach. She’s here to tell her story of burn-out, messy creativity, ADHD and parenting.
Emma Isaacs
Surface pattern designer, creative coach, podcaster, mum of two and an inspirational chat!
Emma describes lostness in motherhood. Going back to work after her second child, still wearing maternity clothes, feeling frumpy, her only bag being a change bag. Looking for a way to feel like herself again.
Emma recognised burn-out after leaving for work at 5.30am, driving 55m each way to a job she loved and was grateful for, but was taking its toll. Seeing fatalities on her commute, breastfeeding a 9 month through the night and having a toddler alongside it all. Emma talks about daring to give her notice without financial security in place - daring to leap.
Earlier, age 27 she had a breakdown after being promoted to management and experiencing imposter syndrome, feeling not enough, not sleeping. Emma feared that this could resurface as postnatal depression.
Emma explores the process of finding what she needed - running in the woods, going on huge walks with other mums, talking.
Emma knew the warning signs of burn-out and that she couldn’t wait for 6 months to get everything in place before resigning. She was not sleeping, feeling anxious. Her toddler was also not sleeping due to ADHD. “It’s not just about me anymore”, she felt.
Whilst training for a marathon, Emma was told that she needed to think like a sportsperson, to believe every day that she could achieve something she had never done before.
“The universe is you.”
We discuss successful people with ADHD and how it allows Emma to hyper-focus and meet deadlines - and to do this in spite of self doubt that all the hard work was the right choice for her family.
Hearing Rachel Hollis ask “Why do we give ourselves the most tired part of the day?” led to a routine of getting up at 4.30am to have 2 hours before the children get up.
Emma has ‘non-negotiable time’ on Sundays after the children are in bed. This is time for herself, not for creating social media content. Emma uses this time for her ‘Artist’s dates’ (see The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron) and plans out the rest of the week in that time.
I had lots of take-aways from Emma’s inspirational interview. Thank you so much Emma.
Take Aways
Give yourself the best part of the day to focus on passions and fulfilment. Is it early morning, lunchtime, late at night? How can you carve out uninterrupted time at that time of day?
Feeling frumpy or lacking identity? Reconnect with the style you had before kids.
If you feel yourself burning out, be realistic about how long you can continue and if you need to leave a job/commitment now, find a way. Pay attention to sleep and anxiety as an indicator.
Make yourself accountable by telling people you are planning to do something new.
Carry on in your creative super power, get back up, stay on the path.
Do it messy. Create for creating’s sake. There doesn’t need to be an end product.
If you want your children to enjoy life and engage with hobbies and passions, model your enjoyment of yours.
You can find Emma on www.emmaisaacs.co.uk and @emmaisaacsdesign on Instagram
If you’re a creative, sign up for Emma’s mailing list for support and tips and to be the first to know about her next intake of coaching. Check out her gorgeous podcast Creative Ways Podcast and follow @CreativeWaysPodcast on Instagram
This podcast has a sister video - available to my mailing list subscribers www.findingmeagain.me/podcast.