This is the first in a series of articles meant to encourage professional artists (and other entrepreneurs) in the area of tenacity.
One definition of success is doing what you love and loving what you do. But can you have too much of a good thing? What if you hit the wall? Being a professional creative requires existing in 2 worlds - pragmatic and expressive (business AND creative.) One can be the enemy of the other and stress (especially in dealing with practical matters) can kill creativity altogether. Fatigue never sounds a warning.
People will let you work as hard as you want, not just as hard as you can. When you're a 'trep, you may love what you do, but you'll also never work harder for anyone as you do for yourself. Fatigue can be a regular visitor to your home.
Perhaps you've never experienced this phenomenon called fatigue? It's not just feeling tired, but often described as the complete lack of any kind of energy or enthusiasm. Even a mindless activity like watching television is unappealing. Until you're fully recovered, you're not.
So how to prevent fatigue in the first place? Or, if afflicted, how to recover from it and sally forth?
1) Become in tune with your limits. Know at what point your discipline demands that you unplug, pick it up another time.
2) Watch out for "one more." One more item, one more task, one more call, one more soon becomes 15 more. When you're done, you're done.
3) You don't have to break your own record. There is a limit to all things, at what point are you "enough?" At what point can you coast?
4) You can't pour from an empty cup - sleep, hydration, proper diet, exercise, all the good habits and balances must be maintained. You have the same 24 hours in a day as all other humans. You don't magically get 25. Once your basic needs are met, what's left is what you have to work with.
If you neglect yourself and find yourself fatigued, the best initial step toward recovery is to stop and maximize resting, even to the point of cabin fever. Let the healing commence.