Burnout Blues: A Music Educator’s Guide to Self-Care

Vol. 2 | No. 19 | By Tyler Hudson

In the midst of year after year of “unprecedented times,” it can become increasingly challenging to feel anything less than stressed and overwhelmed. As competitions, requirements, parent needs, student needs, and year-end challenges compound, it can be difficult to find time to breathe, let alone have the motivation to “finish strong.” With this in mind, I’ve compiled a list of three tips to help us all keep our peace of mind.

1. Set aside 10-15 minutes of “me time”: The reality of music teaching means that our dreams of a perfect self-care routine may simply be unattainable in the daily grind. Instead of giving up entirely, it can be beneficial to set aside 10-15 minutes of time for yourself. Listen to music purely for pleasure that isn’t work. Focus on your breath and dabble into mindful meditation. Stretch or take a quick walk. Find something that brings you joy in tiny chunks.
2. Be okay with imperfection and doing things at 80% capacity: Within our profession, many of us find ourselves driven by passion and a deep desire to give nothing less than our most excellent 100% effort. Moving forward, we have to accept that this is unsustainable for our own well-being. Become okay with giving 90% or 80%. Do great work, but understand that not everything will be perfect (and that is okay!).
3. Mindfulness in small moments: Whether it’s eating your lunch with focused presence in the moment or allowing yourself to be more present in your daily commute, find moments to simply “be” without expectation or anxiety. It may take time and practice for it to feel beneficial, but it may help you feel more at peace.