Burnout:The most feared state of mind for a DJ
One of the most feared aspects of an artists life is to be in a state of Burnout, many producers and DJ are potentially at risk.
Why? This is the key question that I will explore in this blog!
Many of us are at risk of Burnout at any stage of our lives , it can be identified that work based pressures to create and perform are a key feature.
What is Burnout!
Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands.
When a DJs career takes off in a big way, so does the demands and expectation to perform grow exponentially. The dual pressure of working hard to develop a career, accompanied by having to produce and perform once your career is in takeoff can be immense. The demands on a DJ in the peak of the season can be exhausting.
Performing, traveling, long hours unsocial hours, meeting the demands of promoters, fans, social media, poor diet, sleep deprivation and partying.
Most of us have days when we feel helpless, overloaded, or unappreciated—when dragging ourselves out of bed requires the determination of Hercules. If you feel like this most of the time, you may be experiencing burnout.
Burnout is a gradual process. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it can creep up on you. The signs and symptoms are subtle at first, but become worse as time goes on. Think of the early symptoms as red flags that something is wrong that needs attention. If you actively reduce your stress, you can prevent a major breakdown. If you ignore them, you’ll eventually burn out.
So burnout for a DJ/producer can have profound effects. Imagine not being able to meet the demands of the business because you are exhausted both physically and mentally. Your creativity stifled, your income reduced, your family and friends seeing you suffering and the thing you like doing most, your job, becomes a chore.
Signs of physical and emotional exhaustion:
- Chronic fatigue. In the early stages, you may feel a lack of energy and feel tired most days
- Trouble sleeping or insomnia
- Forgetfulness/ poor concentration and attention
- Physical symptoms
- Increased episodes of illness
- Loss of appetite
- Anxiety
- Bouts of low mood or experiencing depressive episodes
Lifestyle and Burnout
The fast and demanding pace of DJ life can impact on functioning if it is not managed well, short careers in the producer and DJ world are common, with burnout being one of the factors.
Dopamine dumping can also have an impact on burnout, it can be caused by hitting the pleasure zone too frequently. When we do things that give us pleasure the brain produces dopamine, which gives us the sensation of pleasure. Overdoing it, partying, drugs and alcohol, high-intensity activity, etc creates the dopamine dump, which in turn can create burnout. It is often at the core of much creative burnout by focusing too much energy on the production of pleasure. People who spend too much time on social media, gaming, intensive computer-based activities, hedonism, creative environments, without time out can burn out quickly.
Signs and Symptoms of Burnout
- Tired and drained most of the time
- Helpless trapped and defeated
- Feelings of loneliness and isolation
- Low or no motivation, taking a long time to complete tasks.
- Lowered immunity/frequent illness
- Change in appetite, reduced or increased
- Negative outlook/frustration
- Decreased satisfaction in what you do and what you achieve.
- Headaches and or muscle pain
High-stress situations and demands can be a precursor to burnout, they can also be early signs of anxiety and depression. It is important to find a balance, we all enjoying doing stuff that gives us pleasure, but distinguishing between work and what is a pleasure is important.
Things that we do that can create burnout
- Unclear or overly demanding job expectations
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Working in a chaotic or high-pressure environment
- Too many hours days working without a break or taking time out to socialise or relax
- Lack of close, supportive relationships
- Taking on too many responsibilities, without enough help from others
- Not getting enough sleep
- Unhealthy diet, drugs, and alcohol
- Perfectionistic tendencies; nothing is ever good enough
- Pessimistic view of yourself and the world
- The need to be in control; reluctance to delegate to others
- High-achieving with an unrealistic expectation of self
Looking after your mental health and wellbeing
Reframe the way you work
- Try working with others or collaborating on projects more.
- Set realistic targets and goals to establish a framework for completing tasks.
- Develop a good social network of people you can talk too and take time out with.
- Talk to others who work in the business to see how they feel or cope.
- Make sure you have interests or hobbies outside of work that gives you satisfaction.
- Take time off to regenerate.
- Take a break from technology, computers, phones, and social media
- Set boundaries around your work and commitments.
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Look after your creative side: Creativity is a powerful antidote to burnout. Try something new, start a fun project, or resume a favorite hobby. Choose activities that have nothing to do with work or whatever is causing your stress.
- Get plenty of sleep
- Reduce alcohol, drugs and ensure your diet is healthy and eat regularly.
- Get some regular exercise
- Find ways to relax, meditation, breathing, reading a novel, take up yoga, walk on the beach, hills or in the woods.
Most people who work in the DJ/ producer and music industry don’t set out to shorten their career, but circumstances can get out of our control. This can lead to burnout, stress, anxiety, addiction, depression all factors that everyone wants to avoid. Getting to grips with it early can help.
If you think you need to talk to someone who understands the business, and what can impact on your mental health then check out our web site outofsynctherapy.com
or
Email: contact@outofsynctherapy.com