Are you a closet thespian? Okay, I don’t quite know how to follow that one up, but it sounded clever, didn’t it? How many of us secretly dream of leaving behind the security of a regular paycheck to give free reign to the actor, dancer, singer, painter, sculptor within?

“Don’t quit your day job!” used to be a favorite phrase we used to tease our friends who couldn’t hold a tune in a bucket. In today’s economy, however, it is a truism for all of us, even if you can sing like Pavarotti or dance like Barishnykov. If you have a job, you hold onto it for dear life no matter how creatively unfulfilling. This isn’t the time to throw caution to the wind in the hopes of being discovered! But all is not lost. There are ways to put your creativity to work and still be on the payroll. There might even be a way to combine them both.

Myra, an aspiring actress, has worked for Kaiser for 10 years in their educational theatre program, first as an actor, then as a booking agent. The program’s goal is to “inspire children, teens and adults to make informed decisions about their health and help build stronger communities.” Myra toured with the Los Angeles area troupe for 4 years and then moved into an administrative role when she started having children. She’s learned that “creativity isn’t just about being in front of people to act,” and is grateful for the steady paycheck, great benefits, and the opportunity to exercise her creativity even in a healthcare setting.

In addition to these kinds of hospital-sponsored community outreach programs, many hospitals and clinics around the country are embracing art therapy, music therapy, drama and movement therapy and, get ready for this – social and therapeutic horticulture – that’s a fancy term for garden therapy. Whether you’re a licensed therapist or support staff, working in one of these arenas might give you the creative boost you’ve been looking for.

Or you might try working with a career coach to help you brainstorm ways to parlay your passion into a marketable skill. For example, if you’re a visual artist, learning the latest graphic design software will give you a competitive skill that you’re company might really be able to use. If you’re a writer slaving away on the Great American Novel, consider taking some business writing classes and looking for work as a grant writer or doing blogs and other writing assignments for your company’s marketing department.

Creative careers with paychecks attached are not plentiful. You have to think outside the box (which is something we creative types do well), be persistent, look for unexpected avenues of artistic expression within your chosen field and possibly become a maverick-doing something that no one’s done before. After all, someone had to be the first to say, “I really love gardening. It surely must have some restorative effects? I think I’ll start a social and therapeutic horticulture program!”

No, it probably wasn’t that easy, but you get the point!

Why do you work in healthcare? You can’t deny that our chosen field makes a huge impact on people, how they live and even the outcome of their lives. When we chose healthcare for a living, it usually has something to do with making an impact and being able to positively affect lives.

But every job has its challenges, and whether yours are conflict with co-workers/superiors, low pay for long hours, patient “unappreciation” or just plain-ole office politics-jobs can get discouraging. How can you prevent those discouragements from affecting your job performance and burning you out?

Here are some suggestions for you:

1. Never doubt the impact that you can make. You won’t always hear it and sometimes, you might hear it in an odd fashion (such as a twisted compliment or overhearing family members talking about you), but know that your impact is great. Consider jotting down each compliment that your receive. Then you will have a list to refer to when you have a tough day.

2. Know when you need a break. If you are overly tired, feel discouraged or dread going to work, it’s time for a break. There is a reason why your employer allows vacation time. Breaks will keep you refreshed and thinking clearly. Take the breaks that you are allotted.

3. Encourage and use humor while on the job. Humor is an essential stress reliever and having some appropriate fun with your coworkers can do wonders to relax everyone who is there. Feeling stressed? Keep a joke book at the desk and pull it out when everyone is as tense as a stretched rubber band.

4. Don’t forget to eat! I’m not kidding. In the healthcare field we are incredibly busy and at times will go hours without the food needed that fuels our body and minds. Don’t let yourself move into low blood sugar, irritability and stress. Make sure everyone has scheduled breaks to eat and take those breaks. If you can’t, stash some higher protein snacks in your work area that you can grab on the go.

5. Communicate with your patients, co-workers and superiors. Communication is incredibly vital to keeping the work environment running smoothly. If you are uncomfortable with someone, there is a reason. Try and talk it out. Make it a priority to verbally de-clutter the workspace as needed. This will help everyone’s stress level, even those not directly involved with the issue.