Thread: Help me, I'm burning out!

I can feel it happening. My studio has been open for about 8 months, I'm now teaching 14 classes a week (8 bellydance, 5 yoga), my body aches and I'm just plain tired.

I'm beginning to get the 'I don't wanna go' feeling when it's time to go teach 3 classes in a row. Newbie students asking the same old questions, teaching the same beginner skills over and over and over....

I can't afford to take time off or hire a sub, this is my full-time job and I have rent & utilities to pay in addition to feeding my kids.

What else can I do? Any ideas to mentally jumpstart my enthusiasm again? To get through the week? To care for my achin' bod and tired mind?

I highly recommend getting an assistant even part time in the studio to help with the menial jobs. You can always do a trade - help for a few hours a week in exchange for two free classes, or whatever.

Or, hire a yoga sub, maybe a teacher in training? in exchange for a free class or whatever...

Could you do more "specialized" newbie classes? Like newbie veil or lecture classes on costuming/etc.?

Lauren, you need to take care of your body -- especially since this is your livelihood. Getting an asst to help via a trade is a good way to start. Also, do you have any scheduled breaks where your studio is closed (i.e. Summer break -- no classes)? While a week w/no classes is a week w/no income, it will help your body rest, as well as recharge your motivation. Also, you can use the time to prep and plan for the future -- "next season, I want to accomplish these goals." This will keep your studio growing and both you and your students motivated.

another thought, are you near any colleges?
At the old studio I worked at, we would have college students doing internships at the studio.
they can sub classes (dance majors, fitness majors) help with front desk work, etc.

Yes do an energy exchange with your advanced students. Let let teach the basics to the newbies. Eat well and sleep lots.

You also just did a big show...which is always crazy and saps your energy.

Lauren needs a vacation.

I think you need to have some free time to yourself. If you carry on the way you are you could loose interest all together and I'm sure you don't want that to happen. Hire an assistant to help you. I think it maybe the only way. Then go away for a long weekend of pampering.

Could you incorporate some belly dance field trips into your classes? Like take the newbies to a showcase that someone else is having? Or have a video night where you show them different types of dancing or introduce them to the greats of belly dance?

You've been pushing yourself really hard lately - the recent recital, the competition, etc. No wonder you're feeling somewhat burned out!

For your aching body, try nice hot baths at bedtime. I realize it's hard to take the time to do it, but your body needs the nurturing. Use some nice fragrant bath scents to help calm yourself, and turn out ALL the lights in the bathroom. (Use a candle in the corner of the tub if you must have a least a little light, but I've found baths in total darkness to be very soothing!)

big hug

i know the feeling.

havent read the other responses yet but here are my recipes, not allways all efficient and usefull, nor healthy, but it's just what i do

- pigout weekend, with NO dance and TOO much good food and drink. preferably with good friends, but in abscence of those stupid TV programs, staying up late and sleeping all day will do too. not the best for my body, but my mind needs these breaks!

- drastically change my warm up. and i mean it. throw it all overboard. different music, style, exercises. my students get the "silly songs" then. warm ups will be to all 15 verisons of the yalla mustafa song. get yourself OUT of your own class routine. the beatles or elvis are good too.

- force yourself to not go through the motions of warm up but really use that time as your own physical and mental warm up

- give yourself and the students a suprise: "yes, i know we said this term we'd work on drills, but you know what: we are going to do veil today, yeah!!", anything! do YOUR favourite style or prop. blow the program!

- light version: change the music! buy a new cd and use it in class that week, even if you dont know it well. you need a challenge.

- go take a one of dance class, a one off, in something you have never done before. capoeira, classical indian etc.
variation: it doesnt have to be dance, do something you never do: go to the zoo, a circus, a ballet recital, an experimental theatre piece. anything. something you've always wanted to do but never have (paint ball?).

- treat yourself to a haircut, manicure, whatever, as long as it's totally self indulgent and all about you. call that friend you havent seen in months.

- go for a meal with your loved one and there will be NO talking nor thinking about bellydancing

- time of, mayb not. but ONE day offf? get away from the computer and from people, go walking in the countryside, cycling, free your mind

i understand a sub is not financially possible, but exhausting yourself to the point where you get ill and need to take time off... will cost even more.
so, options to lower the workload, or at least give your body a small break:

- when my body is at the point of break down i only teach the warm up to the FIRST class, the others, (except beginner level) wamr themselves up, actually i TEACH them to do this. i have a rather active warm up, usually with the same ingredients more or less, and after a while they can pretty much do it without me... it's great student bonding time, they learn a lot from this. i also have them do a follow the leader dance, with everyone taking turn leading. it gives me time to go to the bathroom, sort my notes, get my cds ready, and generally takes the rush rush from one class to the next out of it. i mostly stay in the room and it's not "the teacher is taking a break", all my classes do see this as THEM working with me supervising/correcting. but those 10 min save the nights where i've had 3 groups in a row.

and reading the rest now: yes, get an assistant! i have two students who are also college students and take care of several odd jobs for me in exchange for classes. works out great!

I know that I would have been totally flattered if my teacher had said, "You're advanced enough to take over some of the warm-ups, beginning classes..."

have you concidered the thought of cutting back on your classes and getting a part time job? I know you're worried about bills. Something to throw a wrench into your current routine. No matter how much we love our jobs the monotony of our daily routine can mentally tare us apart.

Do you know someone who can sub for you on Monday and Friday, you can take a long weekend - totally get away from it all. Reconnect with husband even...

I got to physical burn out stage at the end of last year. I felt awful. I couldn't understand why, when I had such a 'healthy' job I was feeling so dreadful- in pain most of the time, feeling utterly exhausted and very depressed, even though everything was going so well.

it happened after I had hosted Aziza over here. I'd taken on too much - organising workshops, a hafla and so on whilst I was still teaching 12 hours a week. I went to a nutritionist who took adrenaline tests which showed that I was suffering from adrenal fatigue.

She said I was over-exercising (I was doing about 20 hours of exercise a week one way or another) and not eating enough protein. She gave me adrenal supplements to take plus a protein/carbohydrate shake to drink before and after class. She also said I needed to seriously look at my lifestyle and exercise schedule and ask myself if I needed to do everything I was doing.

I've now cut back on my own exercise and practice. It's hard because I want to lose more weight, but trying to do cardio, weight trainig and pilates on top of my teaching was just pushing my body beyond its limits.

I've also had to accept that I'm nearly 50 and although I HATE to admit it, my body can't do as much as a 20 year old

I have to be honest and say that I’ve been worried all along seeing how many classes you teach in a week. I think you may be doing too much. I know it’s what pays the mortgage but you said in a post recently that you now teach smaller classes. Would it be possible to do fewer classes with more people in them?

I teach mini workshop-style classes every so often here and there that ingtrigue me. Yes it's selfish but most students will taken any class they can get ahold of and absorb. It's been fun and a different aspect of teaching and pushes me to do more of what I like.

Wow. You guys are gooooood. I'm so glad I posted.

I know you're right about the student show & competition wearing me down.

I'll consider getting a sub & taking a vacation as a last resort, if it becomes necessary. I have thought about a part time job, but I've decided that would make things worse rather than better -- unless I can just pick up a bit of freelance work. Employers can be very demanding & unreasonable. If I can't make a living from the studio & have to get a 'real job,' I'll close it down & go back to teaching a couple of weekly classes.

A long weekend might be a possibility. I can definitely take hot baths -- in fact, I might take a little time for the hot tub at the health club where I teach.

I'm going to give myself a complete break for a while from my own workouts, rehearsals, personal yoga practice, etc.


New warmups & such -- that's JUST what I need. I've started working on some, actually, but I hadn't realized I can focus on that as a way to help. I get sooo bored with the mind-numbing sameness of it all after a while, changing things up will help a lot. Teaching the more advanced students to warm themselves up is brilliant.

I'm also prepping for two workshops, that's fun & it's helping immensely. I just love change, something different to work on.

Sunshine, are you living inside my head? Everything you said was perfectly spot-on.

You're exactly right about the classes, too. My studio will only hold about a dozen people, so I'm forced to teach more classes to accommodate everyone (and earn a living). I don't really like working with classes bigger than 20, so I thought it would be OK, but it's really wearing me out. I've got a 3-year lease, but if I contacted my landlord at the end of a year or so & asked to move into a bigger space with them, maybe they'd be willing to 'upgrade' me without a penalty?

Lauren, Sometimes I sit down and try to look at the bigger picture (for you it's the studio size issue) and work out a bigger solution. On your long weekend, perhaps you can do just that ?

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Teaching the more advanced students to warm themselves up is brilliant.

it's also very usefull, especially since you do shows, etc. they need to be able to do this for performances as well and for their home practice. the few injuries i've had are from not warming up from gigs and from practicing at home without warm up. students do this! so teaching them about warm up is a good idea anyway.. and it gives you a break.

you can also have advcanced students take turn in actually preparing the warm up and home (as in they choose the music and bring it to class); this eventually is good training for future subs AND gives you a good way to actually see them talking in front of a group when wanting to figure out who could be a good sub/is teacher material

Also, how big a penalty would it be, or could you sub-let, or is there some other person who would take over your lease e.g. pilates person who needs smaller space, a bunch of artists who need a little room to paint in, massage therapists etc.

you could also let your students know about this, ask them if they know people who would be interested. many of your students might also be taking dance classes and such elsewhere, and might now of a flamenco teacher who desperately needs a place

Originally Posted by Bellydancingcaroline

Also, how big a penalty would it be, or could you sub-let, or is there some other person who would take over your lease e.g. pilates person who needs smaller space, a bunch of artists who need a little room to paint in, massage therapists etc.

Originally Posted by sunshine

I have to be honest and say that I’ve been worried all along seeing how many classes you teach in a week.
<snip>... you said in a post recently that you now teach smaller classes.

I keep thinking about this. Bless your heart for noticing these things, and even being aware of my life from halfway around the world! You must be the most caring person ever. I so wish I could meet you!

These suggestions are brilliant -- I never even thought about subletting the place! *mind expands to accommodate actual solutions to problems*

Market for sublets could also include dance students/professionals who are looking for a decent practice space. Dance studio owner I know does this a lot during non-peak hours.

Along the lines of practice space... there's a studio here in town that sublets one night a week to salsa students who want to go out and get some practice. You would need someone to "run" it, meaning they would be there every week, collect the cover charges and pay you some percentage or else flat rental fee, clean up after everyone leaves, etc. But maybe with a little networking you could find someone to partner with in this way.

good for day time rent is also: physiotherapists who teach pre/post natal classes

and finding someone who wants to teach kids classes on the earlier hours/wednesday afternoon

When I taught martial arts, we always set aside the week after rank testing for fun, low-stress classes. Students knew to expect it, so no one ever felt like they were cheated out of a serious class. That week, we would do things like elaborate obstacle courses (even for adults! I think they liked it more than the kids), self-defense drills, historical background, etc.

I think it might be worthwhile to set aside one week every couple of months to do things like watch golden era movie clips, play improv games, bring in guest instructors, etc. In my experience, students looked forward to "fun week" as much as the instructors did.