How to avoid burn-out and achieve a healthy work-life balance in the creative industry | Perspectives with Jaime Tan (Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam)
Perspectives with Jaime Tan
Executive Producer at Wieden + Kennedy
and Health & Wellness Coach at Enlightened Spoon
Although fascinating and inspiring, the creative industry remains one of the most high-pressure environments to work in. Cases of burnout and mental fatigue are rapidly rising, casting a daunting shadow on an already unprecedented future. Fortunately, our newest guest Jaime Tan might just have the antidote.
As Executive Producer at Wieden+Kennedy, Jaime has been a driving force behind high-scale campaigns and star-studded productions for over a decade, creating far-reaching content for the most prominent international brands, including Nike, Facebook and Heineken.
But outside of her demanding creative career, Jaime has been leading somewhat of a double life. She also nurtures a full-time passion for health and wellness and thrives in the roles of coach, nutritional therapist, yoga instructor and meditation teacher.
“All this other stuff in my life helps to keep me balanced. I like the way I’m bringing together nutrition, fitness and personal rituals into wellbeing and coaching. I think without all of the health and wellness tools in my life, I would go insane.”
At first glance, it may seem that the worlds of advertising and wellness couldn’t be further apart, yet Jaime serves as living proof that bridging the gap between our professional and emotional lives is not only possible but absolutely necessary. Motivated by her own struggles with burnout and incessant workloads, she sought out help in a mixture of yoga, nutrition and Ayurveda which helped her to regain calm and clarity in the face of challenges. Strengthened by her practical and academic training, Jaime is now sharing this knowledge with others, bettering the lives of fellow professionals and helping them to reach their fullest potential.
“When you hire a coach, it shortcuts the process. It not only helps you progress faster, but it forces you to become self-aware, to actually reflect on your actions and how you can become better as a person. I think there’s value in that.”
We had the privilege of talking to Jaime about her early days in entertainment, career at Wieden+Kennedy, favourite collaborations and plans for the future. We also dive into her views on mental health in the creative industry, explore the meaning of living a good life and find out some practical techniques for everyday stress management, including meditation breaks, daily routines and intentional periods of rest.
“I think it’s important to always be aware of where you’re at and if you are really living the life that you want to live, the way that you want to live it.”
We feel recharged by Jaime’s wisdom and inspired to carry her authentic message forward. So sit back, take a deep breath in, and enjoy the conversation!