The Busyness of BUSINESS — Actor Therapy

I personally thrive in chaos...probably because I’m from a super large family. Being the youngest of 10, I am really really comfortable in juggling schedules and squeezing 19 things into a day. That being said, busyness can cause a great deal of stress and it’s helpful to figure out the best way to handle many obligations. Let’s face it...the more we stick around and are “successful” in this industry the more busy we get. Here are some things I do to stay sane!

Keep the Essentials, essential!

In times of busyness, routine is your friend. Try not to cut out meals or that favorite class when your schedule gets hectic. Those are the things that help us feel grounded and connected, both to our bodies and to our work. They are necessary. I then look at the things I am “busy” with and try and prioritize. To do this effectively I ask myself a couple of things:

1. Am I in love?

Is this thing I am busy with worth it? Is it bringing value to my life? Is it leading me toward my goals or is it rerouting me?

2. Am I alone?

Are my relationships suffering? It is true that our happiness directly correlates with the quality of our relationships. We need each other. We need to spend time with those that we love and who love us. It is critical that our busyness doesn’t take us away from our relationships. A quick coffee with a friend can go a long way in juggling the many to do’s.

3. Am I tired?

Fatigue can make it impossible to handle our daily lives let alone a busy season. It is important to prioritize rest when you are tempted to do otherwise. Often we think, if I just stay up a bit later, I can squeeze this or that in...Even if 8 hours of sleep is something you absolutely cannot accomplish, try and unplug from your devices for at least 10 minutes and do some deep breathing. It’s amazing what some extra oxygen can do!

4. Can I hug this?

At the end of the day, we are choosing this artist life. Do we love it? Do we enjoy even, the craziness it can bring? This life is unpredictable, uncertain. There are no guarantees of success. Is that thrilling or terrifying? It can be both! We MUST ask ourselves, can I embrace the chaos?

Once I have checked in with myself it helps me to focus on the LOVE. As someone who has already rerouted my life a couple of times, I know what it feels like to be busy about a life I do not fully embrace! Busyness is a chore when we aren’t in love with our pursuits. When we are where we are meant to be, busyness has an energy, a “get to” feeling, a joy in the tiredness. If this love is present then it is easy to find the hug!

Tiffany is an NYC based Actor, Writer, and Photographer. She currently can be found promoting shows for both on and off Broadway with Broadway Crew. Her favorite role portrayed is Beline - Imaginary Invalid.