'Stillness, presence & mindful disconnection are necessities for creative longevity'

As the curtain neared its close on Day 3 of Goafest 2025, a deeply resonant fireside session drew a packed house, signalling the growing relevance of mental wellness in today’s high-pressure creative industries. 

Titled ‘The Burnout Cure for Creative Brains’, the conversation featured Luke Coutinho, an expert in holistic nutrition and lifestyle medicine, in dialogue with Babita Baruah, CEO of VML India.

In a session that was both personal and practical, Coutinho unpacked the complexities of burnout, distinguishing it from common stress and depression. “Burnout is chronic stress that numbs your emotions and drains your joy,” he noted, emphasising the importance of clarity in diagnosis and recovery. “You cannot hustle your way out of it. Purposeful urgency is more sustainable than being constantly busy.”

The discussion underlined how deeply interconnected mental, emotional, and physical wellness are with creative output. “Poor sleep, junk food, and emotional stress don’t just hurt your health—they dull your creativity and drain your energy,” Coutinho warned.

Instead, he advocated for simple, consistent lifestyle shifts tailored to individual needs. “Stillness, presence, and mindful disconnection are not luxuries. They are necessities for creative longevity.”

Baruah steered the conversation toward workplace culture, raising critical questions around leadership responsibility in preventing burnout. Coutinho didn’t mince words: “Leaders need to be emotionally aware, open, and vulnerable. Trust and psychological safety are the real performance enhancers.”

In an era where Gen Z and millennials demand meaningful mental health support at work, the session made a compelling case for institutional change. From training managers to recognize distress signals to integrating digital detoxes, breathwork, and gratitude into the daily rhythm of work, the talk offered actionable solutions.

(Transcribed by Nandita Srivastava)