Being an independent musician is not easy and knowing how to manage stress can be just as important to your music career as your skills as a musician.
A study assessed the job satisfaction, mental well‐being and health behaviors of a random sample of 246 popular musicians in the UK. It was found that although a large proportion of musicians are job satisfied, they suffer from above‐average levels of psychological anxiety. The main predictors of lack of mental well‐being are performance anxiety, performance‐related anxiety (eg musical ability not appreciated, loss of skill), poor physical working conditions (eg working at night, performing in substandard circumstances), work overload related to travelling and the impact of the job on social and family life.
If you are starting to feel some of the mental, physical, and emotional side effects of stress, there are things you can do on your own to cope better. Learning healthy ways to cope and getting the right care and support can help reduce stressful feelings and symptoms.
This is what you can do:
- Take care of yourself.
- Eat healthy, well-balanced meals
- Exercise on a regular basis
- Get plenty of sleep
- Give yourself a break if you feel stressed out
- Talk to others. Share your problems and how you are feeling and coping with a parent, friend, counselor, doctor, or pastor.
- Avoid drugs and alcohol. These may seem to help, but they can create additional problems and increase the stress you are already feeling.
- Take a break. If news events are causing your stress, take a break from playing your instrument, producing or writing new music. Dont push yourself just relax a little.
- Recognize when you need more help. If problems continue or you are thinking about suicide, talk to a psychologist, social worker, or professional counselor.
Joe Blandino (born September 13, 1992), is a Dominican Singer-Songwriter, Musician and Actor. Blandino has released 2 studio albums and participated in films like The Bridgetown Invitational Tournament: America’s Most Innovative Baseball Tournament (Short).