How to NOT get burned out?

[Chris Chapman]

I'm cruising on my 15th year as the TD of my facility, and this has been a rough one. What strategies do long timers have at not getting totally burned out? I'm finding that I'm edging more into a realm of that I'm just happy the latest gig is over and we survived it, than being excited about the productions anymore.

The crushing reality of the job in the Educational field is that we can encounter extended 60+ hour work weeks with little or no overtime compensation due to limits on staffing budgets (and weather preventing student labor this year).

Anyone been able to beat burn out?

 

[Scarrgo]

If you find out let me know, ending my 11th year, and I just cant wait till its over in July. We just seem to be adding more and more events with less and less time.

I am lucky enough to be able to work some gigs outside of my venue, that does seem to help a little, work for someone else where you only have to think about your little part of the puzzle, not all of it.

I would like to hear what other folks have been able to do to help with burnout...
Sean...

 

[Footer]

Jump ship to a new gig or leave the industry all together. Personally, what I do is when I have time off I use it to its fullest. There is such a thing as saying no.

I'm in one of those management confidential gigs where I work overtime but don't get paid for it. I attempt to protect myself as much as I can. I'm hoping what Obama just directed the labor dept. to do will fix some of these issues.

 

[sk8rsdad]

Find the time to hit up a trade show, conference, or something with like minded individuals. Sharing beers with a few good people outside of the usual setting can be cathartic. There's a certain amount of pleasure to be found in realizing you're not alone in your misery. I think they call it schadenfreude. It works great until the next time you look in a mirror.

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[josh88]

While going to USITT last year was a breath of fresh air and it was great to be surrounded by like minded folks like sk8rsdad mentioned, it was even harder to go back for me. I had a blast and the idea of going back to the grind really wore me down. But that's also what convinced me I wasn't going to do more than 5 years of teaching if I could help it.


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[SteveB]

After 40 years I discovered it's not the hours it's the odd schedule. There's actually a term for it called "shift work sleep disorder", which is a result of not working a set schedule. So part of the burnout is possibly not enough of and poor sleep. No real answer for it either, it goes with the job.

Pay and OT is a different issue and I'd explore if there are state and/or federal labor laws being broken. Typically, university HR departments do not want people working repeated 60 hour weeks as they recognize the danger of accidents as well as burnout. It's bad management to be expecting that kind of schedule from employees.


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[derekleffew]

... There's actually a term for it called "shift work sleep disorder", which is a result of not working a set schedule. So part of the burnout is possibly not enough of and poor sleep. No real answer for it either, it goes with the job. ...

Of course, big pharma has a solution. A couple, actually. Ask your doctor about Official Site
|
NUVIGIL® (armodafinil) Tablets [C-IV] and/or PROVIGIL® (modafinil) – Home . Some side effects may occur. See also When the Remedy Is Far Worse than the Disease | Psychology Today .

As for "I'm just happy the latest gig is over and we survived it"; when my boss is asked what his favorite song is by whatever act we're doing, his answer is always "the last one."

 

[Scarrgo]

I would really like to get a full nights sleep, I don't remember the last time I have. I just cant seem to turn the mind off, its always running somewhere, oh, and the dog always wants out. Anywhere from 2-4 am. No one else in the house hears her...and the wif says I cant hear...
I am not a huge fan of taking the pills and stuff even though better living thru chemicals can have some benefits, like when people pass the casket they will say "He looks so young, must have been those pills..." I know I overthink to much and care to much about what other people think... and I really need to learn to say "No" more often...

Sean...

 

[SteveB]

If you think about the 9-5 'ers who are home at 6-7, but may not hit the sack till 10-11, then it's unreasonable to expect to leave work at midnight, drive home and go right to sleep. You need a few hours to unwind,which is why I won't be in bed tonight till 2AM. I am fortunately off tomorrow.



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[Dionysus]

If you think about the 9-5 'ers who are home at 6-7, but may not hit the sack till 10-11, then it's unreasonable to expect to leave work at midnight, drive home and go right to sleep. You need a few hours to unwind,which is why I won't be in bed tonight till 2AM. I am fortunately off tomorrow.



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Right there with you. I need at least 1 to 4 hours to wind down to be able to sleep (depending on my level of exhaustion).

I've worked 8s, 10s, 12s, and god-I-must-be-a-massacist's. Really no real problem until you start getting over 10s without days off to recuperate.

A summer a few years ago I was working full time (44 to 48hours a week) as an Electrician (Construction kind) at the same time as working as a TD for a small summer theatre company running semi-rep with generally 2 shows a day. Two shows in one venue, and two in an outdoor venue. Show operation was also split between myself and someone who was working on a rotation of 12s.
I am not afraid to say that by the end of the summer I was completely and utterly burnt out. Working 7 days a week, with only Sunday night and Monday night off.
Often working 12 to 16 hours a day.
Did fine until about 3 months in, I needed a break, and took a few days off from my electrical job and pretty much slept.

 

[Chris Chapman]

Right there with you. I need at least 1 to 4 hours to wind down to be able to sleep (depending on my level of exhaustion).

I've worked 8s, 10s, 12s, and god-I-must-be-a-massacist's. Really no real problem until you start getting over 10s without days off to recuperate.

A summer a few years ago I was working full time (44 to 48hours a week) as an Electrician (Construction kind) at the same time as working as a TD for a small summer theatre company running semi-rep with generally 2 shows a day. Two shows in one venue, and two in an outdoor venue. Show operation was also split between myself and someone who was working on a rotation of 12s.
I am not afraid to say that by the end of the summer I was completely and utterly burnt out. Working 7 days a week, with only Sunday night and Monday night off.
Often working 12 to 16 hours a day.
Did fine until about 3 months in, I needed a break, and took a few days off from my electrical job and pretty much slept.

When we upgraded facility infrastructure in the last 2 years, I wasn't really prepared for the increases in pre-production and programming time new gear requires. For lighting, we upgraded from an Express 250 to an ION and started adding LED's and the occasional mover rental. For sound, we went from an ancient Panasonic Ramsa 24 channel analog setup to a 48 channel Yamaha M7CL, with stageboxes, MIDI fired QLab support. Video went from a cobbaled together system to a Vaddio HD 5 camera setup, as well as inhouse streaming. It's a lot to keep straight, as well as design, as well as facility management, and run the crews too.

My biggest problem is that I simply don't get down time, except for an occasional Sunday. To quote Bilbo Baggins, "I feel like butter spread too thinly over toast."

 

[TheaterEd]

To quote Bilbo Baggins, "I feel like butter spread too thinly over toast."

THIS Quote. I feel this way far too often.
Things that help me:
1. Hobbies. I took on coaching the high school's rock climbing team which has given me a healthy way to work out and relax. I try to go out on the long board with my dog at least every other day so that she gets exercise as well. Also I do a lot of camping in the summer and make sure to read books for pleasure.
2. Find someone you can vent to. Fortunately, my wife did a lot of theater in high school, so she can generally relate to my frustrations at work. I find that people with no theater background really don't understand the unique pressures that we operate under.
3. Ask for help. I have a huge problem letting go of control and handing projects over for someone else to complete, but sometimes you just can't do everything. It sounds to me like your workload has exceeded the realm of what can reasonably be expected of one employee. Can they hire a part timer? Can you get an intern? Can you get a senior with a volunteer period? Any local colleges with students needing tech practicum hours? Do you have Seniors that can run your crews?
4. Work to Live, don't Live to Work. Meaning, you go to work so that you can enjoy your life outside of work. This requires you do your best to have a life outside of work and 'leave it at the office'. Just the occasional Sunday will not suffice. Make sure that when you leave the theater, you leave the stresses that it brings behind. This simple mind shift really helps me when I find that the stress is getting to me.


I'm only in year four doing essentially the same thing as you so I should be asking you for tips, but this is how I cope. Something that helped me get out of a rut was that I acted in community theater over the summer. It was really nice to be the low-man and be able to just enjoy doing theater again. Try to remember what you love about it, and find ways to get away from it for a little while.

 

[StradivariusBone]

I left teaching band to become a theatre manager after 7 years of complete burn out. I know no shortage of friends from college that have left that profession to pursue money, time with family, etc. and in fact one of the most successful, optimistic and talented band directors I know just informed facebook that he's leaving the job, moving back to his college town to become a manager at Publix (grocery store for you non-southeasterners) and will be making enough so that his wife can quit teaching MS band and stay home with their boy. It blows my mind that someone who loves what they do would walk away, but having a munchkin myself I totally understand.

I've only been in this gig for about 9 months, but the stress level is so different. There's still a ton of it, but I feel like I am better equipped to handle it, like I'm wired to accept this TD stress better than band director stress. My decision to leave wasn't about money, it was about being happy. I finally realized that I wasn't going to be happy being a band director and I desperately needed to be in a job that wouldn't crush my soul for my family's sake, because I realized I was taking my frustrations out on them and ruining the little time I spent with them. Would I rather be making more money? Hell yeah, who wouldn't? But right now it's a choice between happy and misery, maybe money would come in time.

My point is, I don't know you or your situation beyond what you've posted here, but for 7 years I was afraid to walk away from my career because I felt that was what I was meant to do and that I would be admitting failure if I quit. In doing that, I ignored an entire set of talents I had (and had been offering to every school I worked at for free) and a path to a life where I can look forward to going to work.

I'm not saying quit, or change careers because I don't feel qualified to give you advice like that. But I just wanted to share since you sound a lot like where I was a year ago.

 

[What Rigger?]

THIS Quote. I feel this way far too often.
Things that help me:
1. Hobbies. I took on coaching the high school's rock climbing team which has given me a healthy way to work out and relax. I try to go out on the long board with my dog at least every other day so that she gets exercise as well. Also I do a lot of camping in the summer and make sure to read books for pleasure.
2. Find someone you can vent to. Fortunately, my wife did a lot of theater in high school, so she can generally relate to my frustrations at work. I find that people with no theater background really don't understand the unique pressures that we operate under.
3. Ask for help. I have a huge problem letting go of control and handing projects over for someone else to complete, but sometimes you just can't do everything. It sounds to me like your workload has exceeded the realm of what can reasonably be expected of one employee. Can they hire a part timer? Can you get an intern? Can you get a senior with a volunteer period? Any local colleges with students needing tech practicum hours? Do you have Seniors that can run your crews?
4. Work to Live, don't Live to Work. Meaning, you go to work so that you can enjoy your life outside of work. This requires you do your best to have a life outside of work and 'leave it at the office'. Just the occasional Sunday will not suffice. Make sure that when you leave the theater, you leave the stresses that it brings behind. This simple mind shift really helps me when I find that the stress is getting to me.


I'm only in year four doing essentially the same thing as you so I should be asking you for tips, but this is how I cope. Something that helped me get out of a rut was that I acted in community theater over the summer. It was really nice to be the low-man and be able to just enjoy doing theater again. Try to remember what you love about it, and find ways to get away from it for a little while.

Burnout isn't just for Education. A lot of what we're talking about happens when you have a large corporate gig signing your paycheck. Sure, you're a "rigger" or "automation specialist"...but when they just need to fill a drop down box on a schedule, you're a "stagehand" like it officially says on your job description. Everything above? It's all true! You have GOT to have the away time. You can't run on batteries that aren't recharged. For hobbies, etc...I always get the most out of the things that won't let me think about anything besides what I'm doing. Jiu Jitsu, skateboarding, surfing, motocross, that sort of thing. If you can't tell how much time has passed while doing these kinds of things, you're doing it right.

Work to live: this is something I am fully locked onto. I turn down the requests to come in on days off. I stay away from overtime when reasonable. Things are waaaaaay better when "What Rigger?" only exists here at our beloved CB, and on the other side of the timeclock. I'd rather put in the effort to being "just Brian". My wife, the schoolteacher, is doing the same thing. You can do it, too.