This article is written by FutureThink’s Rachel Revoy. FutureThink is an award-winning, accelerated learning company; their Business Skills, Technology, and Leadership courses are a valuable part of OpenSesame Plus.
Let’s face it: Burnout is one of the most prevalent, pressing issues of workplaces today. Employees are drowning in deadlines, disengaged, and exhausted. The real issue isn’t just long hours—it’s the lack of purpose and excitement in daily tasks. The antidote? Creativity. Infusing creativity into work can reignite passion, boost energy, and transform workplace culture.
The creative fix: Bring work to life
Too many organizations prioritize efficiency over originality. Employees complete tasks like clockwork, but where’s the room for discovery and innovation? When work becomes purely transactional, engagement plummets, and burnout skyrockets. The result? Teams that feel drained, uninspired, and stuck in a cycle of monotony.
Creativity shouldn’t be a luxury—it’s essential to disrupt the status quo. It’s required for breakthrough moments that lead to real innovation. But it takes intention to weave creativity into the everyday. Here’s how to break the cycle and energize your workplace:
1. Turn a meeting into an idea lab
Meetings are notorious for zapping energy. Flip the script by making them spaces for storytelling, open-ended questions, and unexpected prompts. Encourage wild ideas. Ask yourself questions like what would happen if we banned Powerpoint? When people feel heard and challenged, engagement soars.
2. Make work feel like an adventure
Burnout thrives in predictable environments. Shake things up with creative exercises like rapid ideation sprints, role reversals, or problem-solving games. When work feels fresh, curiosity—and productivity—flourish.
3. Cross-pollinate ideas across teams
Innovation happens at the intersection of perspectives. Break down silos by encouraging employees to shadow colleagues in different roles or collaborate across departments. Seeing problems through a different lens sparks unexpected solutions.
4. Give people time to dream
Creativity needs space to breathe. Set aside dedicated time for employees to explore passion projects that align with company goals. Take Google’s “20 percent time” for example. This initiative allows employees to dedicate up to 20 percent of their workweek to passion projects that are outside their core job responsibilities but align with the company’s goals. This is what inspired Gmail and Google Maps—so imagine what your team could build with just a fraction of that freedom.
5. Celebrate bold thinking, not just results
Burnout isn’t just about overwork—it’s about feeling undervalued. Shift the focus by rewarding courage, experimentation, and outside-the-box thinking. When employees know their ideas matter, they stay engaged and invested.
It’s time to prioritize creativity
Organizations that infuse creativity into their culture build energized, engaged, and resilient teams. So, what’s one small shift you can make today to reintroduce creativity into your work? Try it, and watch the transformation begin.
If you’re looking for practical ways to combat burnout while fostering creativity, consider exploring Quick Hits to Spark Creativity by FutureThink, a learning path that provides actionable strategies to help you and your team think outside of the box and ignite creativity. Check it out here and take the first step toward a more creative and resilient work environment.
About the author
Rachel Revoy is a product marketing leader with 8 years of experience thriving in fast-paced startups. She specializes in crafting messaging that moves people—blending emotion with action to drive engagement, boost free trial conversions, and tell compelling brand stories. As the Director of Product Marketing at FutureThink, she’s shaping the future of workplace learning, delivering on-demand, high-impact courses that help professionals sharpen their power skills and turn knowledge into action.
