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Happy New Year! 2019 is officially in full swing: I’ve filled out my YearCompass, I’ve played a few gigs, and I’m settling into my final semester and trying to get back into some sort of a routine. After a nice and relaxing Christmas break, it’s time to find that mythical work-life balance once again.

Juggling school and DJ life isn’t always easy. Between class, homework, tests, projects, and gigs, I’m downright exhausted come midterms and finals. Plus, on the way to classes and venues, it’s so easy to grab the occasional McDonald’s, Dunkin’ or Panera on the road. Coffee turns into coffee and a donut. Then, it’s coffee, a donut, and a sandwich. Next thing you know you’re not sleeping, not working out, and eating fast food two to three times a day, every day. You might as well have a coffee IV line, too. For me, it was pretty miserable. I felt sluggish, uninterested, and lazy. Weaning off of caffeine was a trip to hell and back – the twitches and headaches were something else.

So this year, I decided to make some serious lifestyle changes. They’re by no means easy. I’m still struggling with integrating these changes with my lifestyle. But, I’m sleeping consistently, doing better in school, and overall I feel so much better! With sound body, comes sound mind, right?

Remember, everyone is different. Here’s what’s been working for me:

Snack Smart

When you’re on the road a lot between school and gigs, snacking becomes a way of life. Sometimes, it’s just easier to grab a series of snacks throughout the day than block out time for a meal. Making the time to buy and prep snacks is more expensive up front, but beats sitting in the drive thru or searching for the nearest bodega. Scale back on the coffee and soda in favor of water. I’ve been cutting back on donuts and chips in favor of fruit, veggie straws, and nuts, and I keep a giant bag of almonds in my DJ bag for when i get hungry during gigs; a small serving keeps me full for hours, usually long enough to hold me over until I get home. Most mornings, I grab a muffin and some fruit on my way out the door to class.

Get Active

It’s been demonstrated over and over again that regular exercise decreases long-term fatigue and sluggishness, and staves off insomnia. For me personally, I had a hard time blocking out time to get active. What really helped was contextualizing it differently; an hour only amounts to about 4.2% of your day. When you think about it that way, it’s such an insignificant amount of time! There’s no reason not to work out.

I was a runner in high school; I competed in the mile, half mile, and ran cross country. After I graduated and wasn’t attached to a team, it took a long time to fall back in love with running. Nowadays, my run time is my me time. Everyone knows not to disturb me during my run; most times, I don’t even take my phone along with me! It’s my time to zone out and get lost in my thoughts. Every now and then, I get hit with a great mashup or remix idea out of the blue! Plus, after a good sweat, I feel unstoppable.

Don’t Ignore Burnout

2018 has been for music, in a word, tumultuous. Losing Avicii and Mac Miller due to mental health issues brought mental illnesses among artists back to the spotlight. Recently, Hardwell and Deadmau5 joined the ranks of those taking an extended leave to deal with personal issues. Laidback Luke admitted that the industry is taking a toll on him. It’s hard to not wonder what’s going on in the music world.

DJ’s, artists, musicians: take care of yourself. Book gigs consciously and give yourself time to relax and recover. Burnout is a slippery slope. Personally, I take off during midterms/finals and the weekend after to get my academics on track and then decompress after a high-stress week. Sleeping in and vegging out with a good book is one of my favorite ways to recuperate.

Your mental health isn’t a joke. Seek professional help if you need it. You are never alone.

How do you balance gigging and your personal well-being? Let me know in the comments!

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