What do you do if you're experiencing burnout in the film industry?

Burnout is a state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion caused by chronic stress, especially in demanding and creative fields like the film industry. If you're feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or unmotivated by your work, you might be experiencing burnout. But don't worry, there are ways to cope and recover from it. Here are some tips to help you deal with burnout in the film industry.

1 Recognize the signs

If you're feeling tired, drained, or sick all the time, losing interest in your work, having difficulty concentrating or making decisions, being irritable, cynical, or detached from others, having low self-esteem or confidence, or neglecting your personal needs or responsibilities, it's time to acknowledge that you have a problem with burnout and take action. Taking a break and reassessing your situation is the first step to overcoming burnout.

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2 Set boundaries

Burnout can be caused by working too much, too hard, or too long without adequate rest or balance. To avoid this, itâ€™s important to set clear and realistic boundaries for yourself and others. This could involve saying no to projects or tasks that are beyond your capacity or interest, negotiating deadlines and expectations with clients or bosses, delegating or outsourcing some of your work, taking regular breaks and vacations, and limiting your exposure to stressful or toxic people or environments. Setting boundaries is essential for protecting your energy, time, and sanity.

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3 Find support

Finding support is another way to cope with burnout. You don't have to go through it alone - your friends, family, and partner can offer emotional, practical, or financial help. Peers, mentors, and coaches can provide professional advice, feedback, or referrals. A therapist, counselor, or doctor can provide psychological, medical, or pharmacological help. And your community, network, or group can offer social, creative, or spiritual support. By seeking out these sources of assistance, you can reduce your isolation, stress, and anxiety.

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4 Rediscover your purpose

Another way to overcome burnout is to reconnect with your purpose and passion for your work. You may have lost sight of why you chose to work in the film industry in the first place, so itâ€™s important to remind yourself of your values, goals, and vision for your work. You can also review your achievements, feedback, and impact on your work, as well as explore new opportunities, challenges, or directions for your work. Additionally, you can learn new skills, techniques, or trends for your work and express your creativity, voice, or style in your work. By rediscovering your purpose, you can reignite your motivation, satisfaction, and enthusiasm.

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Elmo Hoogeveen
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Quite early on in my career I was faced with a burn-out on editing. It has taken me seven years to get over the brunt of it, but in the meantime I haven't stood still. I've taken up camera work, Audio recording, Colour grading and Gaffer work. The first two years after the burnout I found myself able to edit only two projects, which both took a single day of editing. I made sure not to push myself when it came to editing and slowly got better. The thing that helped me most was that instead of editing other people's poorly shot footage, I was now only editing the footage I had shot or directed myself. knowing full well that if it was not up to my standard I was directly responsible for whatever mistakes were made. My own business helps.

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5 Practice self-care

The final way to deal with burnout is to practice self-care. Taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional health is essential. Eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly can help reduce the effects of burnout. Additionally, itâ€™s important to take time for yourself by meditating, relaxing, or doing activities you enjoy outside of work. Being grateful, positive, and kind to yourself and others can also help improve your mood and energy levels. With self-care, you can increase your resilience and combat the effects of burnout.

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6 Hereâ€™s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that donâ€™t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Dr Sonia Hutton-Taylor

How to eliminate the deep exhaustion of burnout â€¦ permanently â€¦ is what I can show you. If regaining your energy , sleep , health and enjoyment in life sounds good but feels unreachable â€¦ book a call with me
(edited)
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Do exactly the same you should do if you have burnout in any industryâ€¦ try the above suggestions and then if these have no impact ( the likely outcome if burnout has already taken hold as these suggestions are more for prevention attempts rather than reversal) â€¦. seek some expert burnout support. Why? Because lingering in Burnout for longer than a few months - affects your career trajectory - spoils enjoyment of life - affects mental and physical health ( There are real physiological and anatomical changes occurring in the brain when burnout is ignored. These changes make it harder and harder to effect the changes needed to break the vicious cycle. Burnout is completely reversible but it does not reverse on sticking plasters.

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Paul Dakers

Lived experience presentations - Sane after 38 years of BiPolar.
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Burnout! Lol!! Trying being a manic depressive for 38 years- I was bipolar before they'd invented it! Amount of sympathy I received? None!!

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What do you do if you're experiencing burnout in the film industry?

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1 Recognize the signs

2 Set boundaries

3 Find support

4 Rediscover your purpose

5 Practice self-care

6 Hereâ€™s what else to consider

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