A Candle Which Burns Twice as Bright, but Half as Long (Part 3)

Finally, we come to the final part of this little guide to helping you stay sane and happy about your work- taking care of your spirit.

            Oddly enough, for such an abstract idea, the answer is quite simple and straightforward.  It comes down to three elements that you should try to incorporate into your life and work (and you probably already do).

            One, surround yourself with supportive and curious people.  I’m not saying that if you work in the arts, you should only hang out with other artists and talk about how the man is keeping you down.  If you work in finance-I hope and pray you have many, many friends who don’t also do that, so that you don’t end up an intolerable tool.  And so on.  It’s not about what the people in your life do, or how similar it is to you-in fact, more variation is better (wait until I talk about the third element).  The most important thing about the people in your life is that they should support you.  They should build you up, and be there for you because, as anyone who is not suffering from a severe case of denial will tell you, life gets hard sometimes.  Just does.  At those times, you need people.  However, don’t need your friends.  Want them around.  Be interested in them.  Don’t selfishly build yourself a pool of people who support you, and not return the favor. 

People are not a safety net, you and your friends are all just threads, and you are much stronger when woven together.

Two, talk about your passion.  If you get excited and talk a mile a minute every time somebody asks you about what you do, it will remind you how much you love it.  Remember those moments, and the things you say, at times when you find yourself up against a wall.  Just talk through it all.  Since you have people in your life (see how I tie things together?) who are honestly curious, they will be happy to listen.  Talk about the good, talk about the bad, but just do your best to talk honestly.

Every thought is a spark, but if it never touches the air, it can never become a flame.

Finally, quite simply, do other stuff.  I talk about diving into work to keep your mind stimulated, but you will need to come up for air if you don’t want to drown.  Making your life all about work is the fastest way to burn out, and continue to struggle through it to the point where you will begin to hate what your life is about. 

This can be prevented easily by just developing other parts of your life.  Make a point of finding two friends, each with very different interests, and try and do one activity with each of them on a regular basis (i.e. golf with a buddy, hiking with an ex…just kidding, don’t do that, they might kill you.  Seriously, bad idea).  This will help you unwind, and take your mind off of work.  T            There is a reason they call a happy life a “full” life, it is just up to you to decide what to fill it with.

So concludes my three-part advice section on how to stay fit, engaged, and happy with your work.  If that none of this helps, you can always turn to the immortal words of a hero of mine.

A Candle Which Burns Twice as Bright, but Half as Long (Part 1)

            Burning the midnight oil.  Burning the candle at both ends.  Phrases that those who are passionate about their work are all too familiar with.  However, what do they get you in the end?

            Burnt out.

            I wanted to take a moment, after the holidays (and a prolonged illness I had, which further contributed to the posting delay), to talk about the importance of taking care of one’s self.  Your mind, body, and spirit are your trade, and so it should be common sense that you do everything you can to ensure that they are protected, well-nourished, and will continue to serve you for your entire life. 

            This post is inspired by the new year, and my personal resolution to recommit myself to taking care of my person.  I’m young, and should be in much better shape than I am (and thankfully I recognize that now, while it’s easy to change).  Additionally, I’ve incurred a number of stupid injuries from work due to carelessness in the earlier years of my education, and as my career continues to move forward, I am more acutely aware of those younger than me who make similar mistakes that I did.  Finally, I am currently in the midst of a month which has come with a great deal of stress from a great deal of sources (an all too common and familiar problem), and so I’m making a conscious effort to ensure that the stress does not wear on my passion.

            So let’s break this down into three parts: body, mind, and spirit, and discuss how you can help take care of them, in a way that is relevant to those of us who work in the arts, and beyond.

            Body:

            Working out is the obvious advice one can give.  I have never loved working out, until I discovered how valuable it is as a stress reliever.  I do not have a routine for working out (though I’m trying to build one), because a regular schedule is about as difficult to find as a unicorn with a degree in physics from MIT.  However, I still try to find 30 minutes every day, to run, stretch, do yoga, or even basics such as sit ups and push ups.  If you think that’s daunting, think about the many hours of work you do, and how you inevitably need a break.  Make one of those breaks a break to work out.  Especially if you find your energy level dropping, a quick work out is the best way to get yourself up and going again.

            Eating right is the other part of the challenge.  Late nights, long rehearsals, and high stress levels almost always lead to snacking and fast food.  I know, and part of the reason I’m putting this down on paper is to hold myself accountable, since I can’t exactly say “do as I say, not as I do, as I eat this cheeseburger at 3am.”  While some degree of slips are inevitable, I challenge everyone to cook their own dinners, or bring pre-prepared salads, and do this for as long as possible.  Very quickly, you’ll notice that the temptation for those unhealthier foods goes away, as you really do feel better, and operate better.

            Finally, sleep.  I know, I know, “what is this ‘sleep’ you speak of?”  Obviously, some sleepless nights are unavoidable.  That’s life.  All I am encouraging each and every person to do is to avoid them where possible, and to be conscious of what you really need.  It is not a contest of “who can do the most shows with the least sleep,” because everybody loses in that scenario.  Be well rested, so you can do your job to the best of your ability.

            Taking care of your body through diet, exercise, and proper rest helps prevent you from getting sick or injured, and keeps you working longer and more effectively.  As has been a recurring motif in this blog, I encourage you to take this advice as needed, but more importantly, to just take a moment and consider what it means to you.  The more conscious you are of what your body needs, the better you can take care of it, and the better it can serve you.

This is not me.  Yet.