[NoHo Arts District, CA] – This month’s Soaring Solo blog gives us some tips on “Balance vs Burnout as a Solo Artist.”
“Many of us have been running all of our lives. Practice stopping.” Thich Nhat Hanh
If you’re anything like me, you enjoy this time of year when it’s perfectly socially acceptable to stuff your face with holiday goodies, sleep in until the late morning, have no idea what day of the week it is, and spend hours lazing about on the couch watching movie classics with family.
Whatever your own personal holiday activities are, it is likely that some portion of the season is dedicated to rest and relaxation after all of the frenzy of present purchasing, cooking meals, and traveling to see loved ones has wound down.
I find the extreme nature of the holiday season to be quite symbolic of how many of us live our lives all year round as creative types. It’s go, go, go full speed ahead and then crash!
As solo artists, many of us can relate to the concept of giving 150% for months on end as we prepare for the performance of our solo shows, and then once we take our bow, we run off stage and right into bed, totally and completely depleted.
While finding “perfect balance” in life and in our craft isn’t a realistic goal to achieve, we can certainly strive to obtain more balance so that we are not living our creative lives in such extremes.
That said, in this month’s blog I’m going to offer some tips on cultivating more balance in order to prevent burnout as solo artists.
To begin, what exactly is burnout and how do you know you’re experiencing it?
Well, according to the APA Dictionary of Psychology, burnout is defined as “physical, emotional or mental exhaustion, accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance and negative attitudes towards oneself and others.”
Those attributes are definitely not what we want as solo artists when the work that we do requires wellness in all categories: mind, body and spirit.
It is imperative that we stay motivated and collaborative in order to handle the many responsibilities that fill our solo theatre plates, such as writing, memorizing, promoting, and performing.
I personally know that I’m heading toward burnout when the things that typically bring me joy and fulfillment start to feel like burdensome to-do list items. When those red flags start waving, I know it’s time to make some adjustments in my life.
Here are three aspects of maintaining more balance in your creative life that will help you avoid or remedy the ramifications of burnout.
1) Self Care
Self care looks different to each person. Yet, it’s well worth your time to explore and perfect what your own personal self-care regime looks like.
Over time and after much trial and error, I realized that, on a daily basis, I personally need journal writing, prayer, meditation, walks with my dog, yoga, 3 satiating meals, quality time with my partner, couch potato time at the end of the day to enjoy some mindless shows and a good night sleep.
On a weekly basis, I need to pepper in phone calls with loved ones, attend my spiritual center on Sunday mornings, and at least one day of doing absolutely nothing but laying by the pool.
Everything that I just described above is my optimal level of self care and surprisingly, I’m able to maintain this routine most of the time these days.
Yet, there are certain seasons, especially during theatre festivals, when many of those needs fall by the wayside and my wellness begins to plummet.
I can usually spot this decline because I have less patience with people, I start to feel depressed and deeply exhausted, and sometimes I will also become physically unwell. These are just a handful of the many indicators that I am out of balance.
Once those warning signs begin to happen, I start implementing whatever aforementioned self care items I am able to realistically partake in at the time. While I cannot always do all of them, engaging in some of them is better than nothing.
Considering what I shared above about my own personal self care needs, please take a moment now to ask yourself what items should be on your self care list. Are you putting these things into action? What are the consequences if you do not? And what are the signs that your wellness is suffering?
2) Support Systems
Delegation, safe spaces and sources of encouragement are all aspects of having a solid support system.
Let’s begin with delegating responsibilities. Do not try to walk the solo theatre path alone. Whether you are hiring people, or asking friends and family for help, be sure not to take everything on by yourself. You only have so many hours in a day, so many ounces of energy to give, and so many areas of expertise. Let people help you reach your solo show goals.
It’s also very important to have safe spaces to vent your feelings and process all that you will encounter as a solo artist. It takes a lot of bravery to vulnerably share our stories from stage. This vulnerability can bring up old wounds that are still in need of healing. Performing in this very challenging genre might bring up feelings of unworthiness, fear, jealousy, and many other disturbing emotions.
Knowing that these mental and emotional struggles might be a part of your creative path, I encourage you to seek support in therapy, a 12-step meeting, a trusted mentor or anyone else who can provide a safe space to express yourself and feel heard and seen.
Let’s also note that as performers, we deeply need encouragement. Unlike other people who choose to live more private lives, we choose to tell our story from stage in front of an audience. Therefore, we want to be witnessed. This level of sharing often requires a large amount of positive feedback and encouragement. So, surround yourself with people who will cheer you on, tell you what you are doing well and right, and who will commit to sharing criticism in constructive ways with your very best interest in mind.
3) Saying No
To conclude this three-point list, I’d like to articulate the importance of saying no. All along your creative path, you’ll get many opportunities, invitations and offerings that you can choose to accept or decline.
Saying yes to everything is a surefire way to reach burnout.
Be sure to be discerning with what you give your time, talent and resources to. For example, if you’re invited to perform in a festival, ask yourself if the finances make sense for your budget. Question if the organization will help promote you and provide various operational needs such as technical support, rehearsal time at the theater and a box office staff.
If your friends invite you to a party the week of your show, ask yourself if being around people would drain you or fill your cup. Maybe it would be a great opportunity to get your mind off of your show and let loose a little bit. On the other hand, socializing at that level might run you into the ground when what you truly need is sleep and focus. Only you can make these judgment calls for yourself.
Most importantly, before you give a yes or a no to anything, pause and ask yourself if you are making a decision from a place of love and peace, or from a place of fear and scarcity. Yes, as solo theatre artists, fear is often present in the creative process, but there is healthy fear and then there is unhealthy fear. Allow yourself to refrain from making decisions until you have ascertained the motivation behind your answer.
Of course, there are many other ways to obtain and maintain balance in one’s creative life, but I hope these three items have helped you take a closer look at your own circumstances to determine if you are burning out or burning bright.
I hope today’s blog helps you find the balance your deserve as you reach for your solo show goals. Please continue to persist along on your solo journey. It may not be easy, but it is so worth it!
Jessica Lynn Johnson
Founder & CEO of Soaring Solo LLC
SoaringSoloArtist@gmail.com
Enjoy these Solo Theatre Resources to further guide you on your solo journey!
Tune in and support the Soaring Solo Community as we share our stories from stage!
Award-winning Director and Developer Jessica Lynn Johnson hosts a slew of powerful solo show script readings and full staged productions addressing various impactful and inspiring topics.
This enticing lineup can be found by CLICKING HERE FOR MORE INFO.
Start writing your own solo show one Freewrite at a time with “FREEWrite Friday”!
Join BEST NATIONAL SOLO ARTIST WINNER Jessica Lynn Johnson for FREEWrite Friday!
Utilizing thought-provoking writing prompts, Jessica will lead you in writing exercises that are sure to assist you in the development of your solo show.
A one-person play is not typically written in one fell swoop. Rather, the Soaring Solo Methodology teaches that the creation of solo art is much like that of creating a Mosaic…one beautiful piece at a time.
All that is required to attend this inspiring event is a willingness to explore, having a pen, paper, or some other means of capturing your thoughts, the ability to access Zoom, and signing up on this page as your official RSVP.
We look forward to having you join the Soaring Solo Community in this event because your story matters!
CLICK HERE TO RSVP and obtain the Zoom link and password.
Attend the Soaring Solo FREE One-Person Play Development class ONLINE!
No matter where you are in the creation of your solo show, idea phase, curiosity phase, full draft written, touring the festival and college market, BEST NATIONAL SOLO ARTIST and founder of Soaring Solo, Jessica Lynn Johnson, will meet you where you are at and take you to the next level! All that is required to attend is a willingness to explore, a pen, and some paper. No previous writing or performance experience necessary, and no need to have written anything to bring to class. Each week Jessica will guide you in exercises to help generate and stage NEW material! So come and meet other creatives in a supportive space for expression and exploration! The class is ongoing and so you may pop in and out as you please as long as you RSVP BY CLICKING HERE for this FREE ONE-PERSON PLAY CLASS.
Schedule an Online Coaching Consultation with Jessica Lynn Johnson to discuss the possibilities for your solo show!
Jessica brings her 15+ years of solo theatre expertise to work privately with solo artists from all over the world on an as needed basis.
A 1 on 1 Consultation is for you if…
-You are curious about creating a solo show, but you need writing prompts to help you generate material.
– You are tossing around ideas for your solo show, but you need some accountability and encouragement to commit those ideas to the page.
-You have already written some material, but you need expert feedback on editing, story structure and play formatting.
-You have a great first draft, but need guidance on how to utilize multimedia and solo theatre technique in order to make your show a dynamic piece of solo theatre.
-You already premiered your solo show and now you want some tips on how to tour colleges and festivals, and garner accolades and great reviews!
-You have heard great things about Jessica’s work and you’re curious about hiring her as a Director & Developer for your solo show, but first you want to feel her out and see if she is the right fit for you and your project.
Wherever you may find yourself on your solo journey, Jessica will help you overcome whatever immediate obstacle stands between you and your solo success.
If you resonate with many of the things on this list, then take the next step by scheduling your consultation or emailing SoaringSoloArtist@gmail.com for more information.