Avoiding Burnout in Summer Stock

Another fantastic guest post by Emmanuelle Chaulet! Enjoy!

Rotating three or four shows per week, sometimes playing in two shows per day, 6 days a week is a usual schedule in summer stock theater. It can be cruelly demanding and stress building to the point of exhaustion.

How do you avoid burnout when the schedule barely allows you to sleep?

Here are simple tricks that can make up for the lack of sleep and that will truly diminish your stress level.

First rule – Eat Well:

Drink plenty of water and feed your body with good fuel. No junk food allowed!

You want to give yourself all the proteins your body craves and plenty of good nutrients to replenish and energize yourself.

See Patti McCabe’s website for more information on good nutrition habits for the performing arts community.

Second rule – Ease lack of sleep by a short relaxation before bed:

In 15 minutes of deep meditative relaxation you can replenish your body of the missing sleep.

Lie down in a quiet space, in silence or with relaxing music. Concentrate on your breathing. Take deep cleansing breaths. Start by relaxing the top of your head, inhaling clearing energy and exhaling stress you want to release. Gently breathe in and out, and move down to your forehead, then your eyes, eyelids, throat, lips, and neck. Then move to your shoulders and your chest area.

When focusing on your heart, think about a place, a pet or a person that you feel grateful for. Feelings of gratitude have an immediate effect on your nervous system. When you feel grateful your body releases hormones that calm your nerves, and your heart beat slows down. The coherence of your heart beat improves. Your immune system strengthens. (For more information about heart coherence and scientific research, check www.Heartmath.org).

Then move to your solar plexus, and your lower abdomen. Finish by going down your legs, and the sole of your feet. imagine stress leaving from the sole of your feet, dissipating and transmuting in space.

When your attention wanders, gently bring it back to your breath and body.

Finally, imagine a bubble of colors surrounding you. You are bathing in it. Perceive it is a cocoon that can recharge and regenerate your cells. Feel it, sense it, and absorb its benefits for as long as you want.

Finally, open your eyes. You should feel refreshed and regenerated.

Emmanuelle Chaulet is an acting coach, a holistic acting practitioner, CRPL3, adjunct faculty at the University of Southern Maine, Fulbright scholar and author of A BALANCING ACT. She is the founder and director of Starlight Acting Institute, which offers individual sessions, workshops and retreats such as “Energize! a holistic approach to acting,” and “Unleash your Star Power.”
http://www.starlightacting.org
She can be contacted at: energize@starlightacting.org

Anything for 30 Seconds

So I started classes at New Body Boot Camp last Friday.

Wow.

See – even Health Coaches have goals for their own health. We’re not as “perfect” as many would think. I personally believe this makes me a better coach, because I understand that health is not a destination but a life-long journey. That may sound like a scary proposition to some, but I promise that it’s an exhilarating ride and not a punishment!

But here’s the thing. I think I forgot that for a while, and so even though I have been wanting to do something like a Boot Camp for a long time…I admit I kept thinking that it would feel like some kind of punishment and that this type of exercise just isn’t “my kind of thing”.

Boy was I wrong.

I love my yoga practice, hiking, and swimming. But regardless I had been finding myself getting bored with my regular routine and so it was becoming harder to motivate myself to keep up with it. This was just the thing I needed to shake things up – and to finally put some focus on building up my strength and stamina in new ways.

I had a ridiculous amount of fun in my first class, and now with four under my belt I am completely hooked. I am re-energized, and not only around my exercise, but in all areas of my life. I’m happier, more confident, and feel physically amazing!

And let me tell you – I’m eating like a CHAMP with all those extra calories burning off each day!

So I want to share some important lessons I’ve learned over the past week:

1. I can’t allow my commitment to helping others on their journey substitute for committing to my own.

2. I am stronger than I sometimes give myself credit for (physically AND mentally).

3. Support is essential. Don’t try to do it alone! (Big shout out to my friend Amanda for being my partner in class!)

4. You can do anything for 30 seconds.

Let me just expand for a moment on that last point. In Boot Camp, it’s not about the end of the hour or even the end of the specific circuit or routine. It’s about the 30 seconds, 45 seconds, 1 minute of whichever specific exercise you are doing. Focusing on that and only that. And putting all you have into it.

The truth is, this is a lesson I can certainly apply to my own life right now. As I build a Health Coaching practice, I’m doing things I never thought I’d do. I’m learning new things every day, and yes making some mistakes along the way. I have larger goals in mind, but I can’t focus on the end of the road or think myself into paralysis wondering how I’m ever going to make it there.

This week I’ve been much better able to focus on the task at hand. To focus on those 30 seconds and then move onto the next. And it’s paying off, because these small steps are leading to huge results. And this is how I will achieve my goals – mentally, emotionally, physically, and in my business.

If you are in or can travel out to the Brooklyn area – I highly recommend signing up for a free trial with Aja Davis’ New Body Boot Camp.

And, of course, when you are ready to reach out for support I am here at any time. Come visit me on my website, or check out my last newsletter for an amazing, affordable summer special!

All of this is true for you. YOU can do ANYTHING for 30 seconds!