Student Blog: Trying Not to Burn Out

What is theatrical burnout?

     Let's start out with the definition of being burntout. The definition is, "Physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress". Now theatrical burnout can be either overworking yourself at rehearsal, having vocal lessons too often, overperforming, and more. 

     The best way to help with theatrical burnout, or even burnout in general, is to know your limits. Once you know your limits, then you can easily recognize when you might be pushing those limits and overworking yourself, both mentally and physically. 

How do I deal with burnout?

     I'll admit, burnout and I are pretty good friends, but over the past few months we've distanced from one another. How? Great question. I've recognized my limits both in school, theatre, work, and even just generally. As someone who takes a handful of classes a week, has film projects, works within theatre and has a part time job, I'll admit burnout and I met and were together quite frequently. Towards the end of last school year and over the course of the summer, I've found ways to keep myself organized, which has helped with burnout. 

     Even with all that I do, I try to find moments for myself. Usually towards the beginning and end of the day, I take a few minutes to myself to think about the day and how I can better what I'm doing or how I'm managing myself so that things may go smoother in the future. Depending on how busy the day is, I also try to take breaks or other various moments to myself just so I can recognize myself and how I'm feeling so that it's not just go go go all day. 

Tips and Tricks

     Everyone experiences burnout in different ways, so what may work for me may not work as well for you. What I can best reccommend is if you're ever starting to feel overworked, stressing, or anything similar to what's listed, then take a step away from what may be stressing you out and just breathe. In that time you have to yourself, recognize what you're doing that may be the cause of burnout and think about how you can best approach it in the future. For example, I just generally was feeling burnt out because of all that I had on my schedule, so to help prevent as much burnout, I started using more orginizational tools that would help me know how much I have on my schedule, and then I could also see what time I had to myself or where I should take time for myself. 

     Overall, burnout is something that everyone experiences at one point or another, and some experience it more frequently than others. Just make sure that at the end of the day you're acknowledging how you feel and that you're taking care of yourself.