Musical Theatre Performer: Mental Health vs Hectic Schedule

This week was probably my busiest week this year.

Already I am in a Musical Theatre Course which is very demanding.

It requires an 8am start, dancing most days for several hours and on top of that having songs to prepare and acting homework.

On a usual week this course takes a lot out of me and it is a struggle sometimes to find the energy to push through the week.

But this week is so much crazier.

I am in ‘Anne and Gilbert’ the musical at Beaumaris Theatre. And this week is production week.

To give a glimpse of my schedule, this is what my week looks like:

On top of that it takes 1 hour and 30 mins to travel to Uni and it takes 45 mins to get to the theatre.

But this is such an exciting time in my life. I don’t want to look back with regret.

I don’t want to look back and only remember how stressed I was.

I’ve spoken before about mental health in my blog and YouTube video about ‘8 Ways to Re-Shift an Anxious Mindset’.

This really does hit close to home for me because it is something I struggle with a lot.

Having such a busy schedule most the time, it is difficult to not be focused on how stressed I should be with all my tasks.

As any over-achiever or soldier-on type of person would know, I pushed myself through the week no matter how I was feeling.

To put it into perspective, I didn’t take one day off last term.

But I should have. I cried every week.

I was so overwhelmed with all that was required of me with the course and responsibilities at home. Looking back this was so unhealthy and it was clearly a sign that I wasn’t coping and that something had to change.

However, this term has already shown improvement! I haven’t cried in 2 weeks!

This may seem like a small feat. But I don’t see it that way. Especially with the added stress of shows, you’d think I would be worse off then last term.

What changed?

I have taken days off when I find myself being over-worked and exhausted.

Like Tuesday, for example; I decided to take off. The Monday rehearsal ran overtime and I didn’t get home until 12:30am (from our 8 hour rehearsal). Waking up at 6am, I would be running VERY LOW on energy. Considering my week ahead I took the best route to avoiding burning myself out.

Although I REALLY don’t like backing down on commitments, I know that it is better for me mentally.

One BIG change I’ve found is my mood.

I didn’t realise how much my mood was effected after the first term starting the course.

I was a lot more snappy, obviously emotional, but I also lost my spark, my joy and bubbliness.

With my shift of focus, I have more so returned to ‘Normal Heidi’ (although I hate that term-I was still myself, but I was just going through something different).

I feel more capable of facing each day, because I am ‘living in the moment’ and enjoying whatever activity I am doing.

In terms of my faith, I still feel like I need to depend on God more.

There has been more of a shift this term, seeing Him in my daily life. Thanking Him for the blessings I encounter in my day, and keeping a grateful heart.

Mostly I have realised that it is almost trivial to stress about some things when I have such a powerful God who has got me covered.

Overall I have learnt a lot from my time as a full-time musical theatre performer/student.

It is all about the balance between working hard and resting well.

Figure this out and you’ve got a lifestyle to keep you going and achieving consistently.

BEFORE YOU GO!

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