Essential Advice for Actors to Navigate Burnout

Burnout is a common challenge among actors, stemming from the intense demands and emotional nature of auditions and roles. Being aware of burnout is necessary for maintaining both mental health and career longevity in the entertainment industry.

Here are a few key strategies to help you make the most of your health, personal and professional life, with advice from some professionals who specialize in working with creatives such as yourself.

Recognize the Signs

Recognizing burnout is the first step towards addressing it. Burnout can manifest physically, emotionally and behaviorally. Common physical symptoms include chronic fatigue, headaches and digestive issues. Emotionally, you may feel overwhelmed, irritable or apathetic. Behaviorally, you might notice a decline in performance, withdrawal from social interactions, or increased reliance on substances to cope.

It’s important to grasp these signs in order to take action. The quicker you can recognize and handle burnout, the happier you’ll be and the more successful when you submit self-tapes and carry out roles.

“Everyone experiences a version of anxiety or worry in their lives, and maybe we go through it in a different or more intense way for longer periods of time, but there’s nothing wrong with you.” – Emma Stone

Set Boundaries and Prioritize Rest

One of the leading causes of burnout in actors is over-commitment. While it may be tempting to say yes to every project, this can lead to a heavy workload and by way, stress. It’s important to set boundaries and learn to say no. Think about what you’re committed to and decide which things actually matter and make you happy.

Make time for rest and relaxation to boost your well-being and performance. Hours in the entertainment industry can be really long, with a lot of waiting around on set. Make sure to take breaks whenever possible, so you can perform better in the long run.

“I found that, with depression, one of the most important things you could realize is that you’re not alone. You’re not the first to go through it; you’re not going to be the last to go through it. And oftentimes — it happens — you just feel like you’re alone. You feel like it’s only you. You’re in your bubble. And I wish I had someone at that time who could just pull me aside and [say], ‘Hey, it’s gonna be OK. It’ll be OK.” – Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson

Seek Professional Support

It’s likely that you often face unique mental health challenges, being creative and dealing with a lot of rejection that comes with the business. Having the support of a professional can be incredibly beneficial. Therapy provides a safe space to process emotions and develop coping strategies. Mental health pros can help guide you through the emotional ups and downs of character work in addition to aspects of your personal life.

As psychotherapist Michelle Shlafman suggests, using techniques like “parts work” can help you manage the psychological impact of intense scenes.

“Talk to the trauma to let it know that you are there for it. If that trauma part is needed to produce the scene, also bring forward a sense of comfort or the “manager” part of yourself,” Shlafman says. “The “manager” part of you might say, ‘Hey trauma, I’m here and I’m watching you.’ This is probably going to be really challenging for you, but I have you, we have a plan for decompression.”

“I think that there’s such a huge stigma over it [mental illness], that I hope we can get rid of, or help… I mean, people have diabetes or asthma and they have to take medication for it. But as soon as you have to take medication for your mind, there’s this instant stigma. Hopefully, we’ve given those people hope…” – Jennifer Lawrence⁣

Embrace Self-Care Practices

Taking care of yourself means doing things like exercising and practicing mindfulness, such as meditation and deep breathing exercises. Don’t forget to do things you enjoy outside of acting. It helps you take a break from all the character stuff and find some balance. Often these periods can lend to some real life inspiration for acting, too!

Psychotherapist Eric Maisel, who specializes in working with creatives, highlights the importance of self-care for his clients.

“Everyone is overwhelmed these days. There’s no real way to escape or relax. Our mental health is deteriorating as we face world crises, epidemics of despair, anxiety, addiction, loneliness, difficult financial times and all the rest,” he says.

“Given these realities, we are obliged to put self-care front and center. This can be [in the form of] meditation, walks in nature, carving out time for friends, landing on a few activities that are really relaxing, or building a strong personal philosophy that fosters calm,” says Maisel. “We need to take better care of ourselves than ever.”

Re-evaluate Your Career Goals

When you’re feeling burnt out, it’s a sign that you need to take a step back and think about your career and goals. Take a moment to reflect on what brings you joy and fulfillment in your career, and what drains your energy. This will help you make smarter decisions about what roles and projects to go for.

If it’s necessary, don’t be afraid to pause and explore other interests for a while. Taking a break can bring clarity and inspire creativity, reigniting your passion for acting.

Thrive with Casting Networks

Burnout is a big problem in the acting world, but with the right help, it can be dealt with. Recognizing the signs, setting boundaries, seeking professional support, embracing self-care and re-evaluating your goals are all necessary steps in this process.

At Casting Networks, we understand the unique challenges you may face when submitting for roles and looking for the next booking. That’s why we offer Thrive free with our Premium membership providing flexible, affordable access to therapy and other mental health resources to support actors in maintaining their well-being.

Investing in your mental health is not just about preventing burnout; it’s about thriving in your career and personal life.

This article originally appeared on Casting Networks.

Want to get your acting career started? Sign up or log in to Casting Frontier and start auditioning today!

You may also like:

Casting Directors Discuss Why There Are No Small Parts in Acting

Julie Schubert talks Casting Hulu’s ‘Under the Bridge,’ the Importance of Her Work on the Holocaust Documentary ‘Resistance: They Fought Back’

6 Behaviors to Boost Confidence