Energy – the opposite to a burn-out? 3

Energy is important for everything you do. When someone gets a burnout, we think that he/she spent too much energy. On the other hand, we all know people who seem to have endless energy, without getting burned out. How do they manage? In the music business, everyone I know more personally who is working there for more than 10 years, has had a period of being over-worked, or burn-out.

To start with, it’s important to know what activities give you energy, and what costs you energy. This is very individual, different for every person. Like my sister, she thrives on activities in a group. It gives her energy, and she plans some of these group-activities in every weekend. On the other hand, I feel exhausted after I’ve been spending time in a group. I prefer one on one meetings. Being in a group costs me energy, and I need to plan some time alone after that, to recover. How is that for you? Is it different per situation or group?

Energy is about taking care of yourself, you body and mind. You probably know the paradox, that you get energy from sporting and yoga. It helps you body to keep in shape and stay healthy. Spending time in nature or doing yoga and meditation also helps. For me it works, when I step on my bicycle for half an hour every morning to go to the office, and back again in the evening.

Did you know that you can also get energy when working? Have you ever experienced to work in your own flow, when everything goes easy and effortless? And after an hour you realize, that you’ve done more than you expected? That’s working in a flow. And it feels SO good! The biggest killer for the flow is multitasking. NO MULTITASKING! I know, often you can’t avoid it. That’s why you certainly shouldn’t plan it, it eats your energy.