Student Blog: Burnout Is Not Weakness

With the end of the year quickly approaching, it is important to discuss the somewhat controversial topic of burnout in the entertainment industry. Especially in arts-related careers, many individuals worry that expressing exhaustion and fatigue may make them appear ungrateful. Recognizing these emotions, while simultaneously identifying their causes and creating an action plan, is essential to overcoming burnout. 

Some frequent causes of burnout include intense repetition, high levels of stress, and physical exhaustion. Personally, while this semester has brought extensive opportunities, I can sense a dip in my passion in both performance and management aspects of my career. From a repetition standpoint, by junior year, coursework, people, college, and productions are no longer necessarily “new”. At times, I find that my consistent schedule has sometimes allowed me to coast on autopilot throughout the day. Even as certain elements of my education remain consistent, I try to find new points of focus to stay both engaged and invested. For instance, during Ballet, I might shift my focus throughout the week, rotating between emphasizing my artistry, core engagement, and assimilation improvement. This perspective can also be applied to other co-curricular activities or future employment. While I have been involved with Students of Arts Management for multiple years, my evolving leadership roles have allowed me to develop new skills, while the continual change keeps me engaged and prevents burnout. Currently serving as vice president, I coordinate all our guest speakers, helping to shape the experience, education, and connection of our members. This approach enables me to customize my courses and experiences to align with my specific career goals while simultaneously combating burnout.

Another aspect of Junior year that has challenged me more than I initially expected is the heavier course load and higher personal expectations. As I am in my second half of higher education, many of my courses are difficult due to their detailed nature, elevated workload, and intense rigor as they pertain specifically to the entertainment field. With courses such as Touring of Performing Arts Organizations, directly applying to my career goal of working in tour management, I tend to place higher expectations on myself and my work. Additionally, as an upperclassman, I am grateful to be trusted in many leadership roles across campus. Although, as a passionate individual, I sometimes find these experiences somewhat challenging because I care deeply about leading well while representing my school and craft at the highest level. I want to emphasize again that this is not a complaint, as I am immensely grateful that these opportunities challenge me to be the best teacher, performer, and leader I can be. Through these roles, I have found ways to cope with pressure in high-stress environments. For instance, I have learned that when I am overwhelmed, I need a deep breath to maintain calmness. While this is my personal process, this is also backed scientifically as increased oxygen has been proven to activate the parasympathetic nervous system (aka the body’s relaxation system). Additionally, I have also understood that I am a list-oriented individual, and I must write all of my tasks down before planning how to effectively use my time. As mentioned in my previous article, you must develop your own process to ensure success in this fast-paced industry. 

Lastly, it would be ignorant not to acknowledge that physical exhaustion is closely linked to burnout. As a dance and entertainment business major, I often dance up to five hours a day in addition to my on-campus job, demanding academic workload, and other responsibilities. Part of addressing burnout involves physical rest, which I am currently embracing as I write this from my couch during winter break. In the upcoming semester, I will be dancing less due to both my schedule and my pursuit of management positions in the spring. This will be an optimal opportunity for me to rest while working on building strength and endurance for my senior year. 

Looking forward to next year, I am beyond excited for new classes, additional management opportunities, and continuing to build on the skill sets I have already developed. I wish everyone a happy holiday season and truly hope everyone has a great new year. See you in 2026!