You’re Creative. Your Mental Health Matters!
Being a Hollywood professional can wreak havoc on your mental health at the best of times. But with the past few ‘pandemic years’ we’ve had, and the current state of the world, staying mentally healthy right now can feel nearly impossible for a lot of us.
It doesn’t matter where you are on the Hollywood ladder, if you want to work in the entertainment industry for the long haul, avoid burnout, do your best work, and keep yourself sane in a crazy world - taking care of your mental health isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.
Here are 6 practical ways you can support your mental health as a Hollywood creative:
1. Move your body every day
Most of us know that we should be exercising - that it gives us more energy, releases endorphins in the brain, and lifts our mood. But, in the fast-paced, work 24/7 world of Hollywood, many of us skip it. I get it. But trust me on this one, making time everyday for some physical activity will only add to your career and sense of self. Don’t get overwhelmed. Just start small. Which means it doesn’t have to be cranking out endless reps at the gym every morning. It could mean a 10 or 15 minute yoga video on YouTube, a run in the afternoon, or a 20 minute hike (extra points if you get outside - nature does wonders for mental health). Find what types of exercise work for you and then make them a habit. It takes time to create a new habit, but the better your body feels, the better you’ll feel overall.
2. Schedule time to connect with other people
While many “regular people” have co-workers they see every day, a lot of creatives get so locked into their work that they can sometimes go days (even weeks) without ever interacting with another person (screenwriters, I’m talking to you). But even the most introverted among us need meaningful relationships to support their mental health. So make a point to connect with at least one person every day. Maybe this means a short phone call with a family member, saying, “yes” to a lunch date, joining a writers group, asking a friend to go to a workout class with you (human contact plus exercise - it’s a win, win!). Even just a 5 minute phone call can make a noticeable difference in your wellbeing.
3. Stay organized
Life for a creative is usually busy and sporadic. There are deadlines to meet, audition tapes to record, networking events to go to, people to call, emails to answer, bills to pay - the list is endless. So when you get an unexpected audition or script pitch on top of it all, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and fall into a downward spiral of panic and anxiety. A crazy schedule is inevitable, but you can help mitigate its effects on your mental health by staying organized. Writing out daily and weekly ‘To Do’ lists is a great place to start. I color code mine just to make it fun. Planning things out as much as possible (from draft deadlines to when your cable bill is due) can help you feel like you’re more in control of your time and your energy.
4. Celebrate every win
Acknowledge and celebrate your wins, no matter how small. Did you have a good general meeting? Great! Buy yourself a little treat: an ice cream, eye shadow, fun new socks. Did you finish a “vomit draft” of your next screenplay? Awesome! Go for a walk in the sunshine. When you practice positive reinforcement over your successes (even the smallest ones) you send a signal to your brain that you are on the right track to experience more good things in your future.
5. Separate yourself from your work
Being an artist is personal. Which it’s why it’s no surprise that a lot of creatives wrap their identity (and their happiness) up with their creative work. Of course it’s okay to feel good when you create something you like or get hired for a job, but if your self-esteem and mental health tend to plummet when you’re “creatively stuck” or miss out on a job - then it might be useful to find ways to separate yourself from your work. Viewing your creative output as something you “do” rather than “who you are” will help you develop a healthier relationship with yourself, your creativity, and with rejection.
6. Go easy on yourself
To make it in Hollywood you have to hustle hard and hold yourself to a very high standard. However, no one can hustle all the time and sometimes we create standards for ourselves that are impossible to meet. If you put too much pressure on yourself to “do it all” and be perfect in the process, you are going to burn out and/or get jaded very fast. So consider going a bit easier on yourself. Take breaks, take naps, if you feel absolutely no motivation to sit down at your laptop one day - maybe consider taking the day (or the afternoon) off. Our mental health and our creativity need downtime to stay healthy. Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint.
What do you do to help yourself stay sane in Hollywood? Let me know @CaroleKirsch!
For more industry info and tips check out these additional resources:
To learn how to create your “personal logline” read my free e-book, Tell Your Story in 60 Seconds.
For my in-depth video course on breaking into the business go to: Carole Kirschner’s Hollywood Boot Camp.
And you can find my book, Hollywood Game Plan on Amazon or at Michael Wiese Productions (MWP).