Dealing with Burnout as a Musician

Burnout can come in many different forms for musicians. It might manifest as writer’s block, or the feeling of being overworked, or perhaps financial stress has taken its toll. For whatever reason, burnout can be difficult to manage however, you don’t have to go through it alone.

Here are some tips to help battle burnout:

  • Take some time away from your work.

For a lot of musicians, it’s hard to draw the line between creating music as part of your job and writing music for yourself or for fun.  Even if you do enjoy it, it’s important to have a life outside of music.

  • Financial Stress

Financial stress is not something new to musicians. Almost every week in the U.K there seems to be a new report about funding cuts or lack of work for people within the arts sector. It’s a difficult situation to be in and there is no easy answer to secure a financially stable future however, planning your jobs out in advance can certainly help ease your mind about where the gaps are and perhaps spark a few ideas on how to fill them.

  • Remember why you started

When you’re in the midst of burnout it’s often hard to see the positives. If you take five minutes out of your day, try to write down or at least think about why you decided to create a career in music. Hopefully, you’ll remember the positive reasons for wanting to be a musician.

Good luck and just remember you’re not alone: this too shall pass.

More Resources:

Tips for Staying Healthy on the Road

Health and wellness on the road. Why you owe it to yourself.

The Tour Life is Hard — Homeopathy Can Help

Rock ‘n’ Roll Yogi

A Red and Sensitive Topic

Let’s Talk About Mental Health

Fit on Tour

 

 

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