The Pros and Cons of Going on Vacation for Artists and Creative Professionals

Can taking a vacation make or break your creative career? On this episode of Creative Space, we unpack the intricate balance between the necessity of time off and the potential risks it holds for creatives of all kinds. For many, stepping away from daily routines can be transformative, offering much-needed rest, enhanced moods, and fresh perspectives that fuel creativity.

But is there a downside to taking time off? I delve into the potential pitfalls. Drawing from personal anecdotes and experiences of artists who swear by the "no days off" mantra, I highlight the dedication required to achieve mastery in any craft. We also touch upon the financial strain vacations can impose, especially for freelancers and working artists, who don't get paid time off like you do with a regular full-time job. Join me for a thoughtful discussion that will help you make informed decisions about going on vacation.

For more on me, your host and creative coach, visit: jenniferlogue.com.

To sign up for the weekly Creative Space newsletter, visit: eepurl.com/h8SJ9b.

To become a patron of the Creative Space Podcast, visit: bit.ly/3ECD2Kr.

Transcript

Jennifer Logue: 0:10

Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of Creative Space, a podcast where we explore, learn and grow in creativity together. I'm your host, jennifer Logue, and today we're going to talk about the pros and cons of going on vacation. Whether you're an artist of any kind, or even an entrepreneur, a lot of the points we'll highlight in this episode will be relevant to you. So let's start with the positive aspects of going on vacation for artists. Number one it gives us time to rest and recharge, which is crucial for creativity. Why are these things so important? Well, because stress destroys creativity and flow. Rest and relaxation create an environment that's more conducive to creativity. Number two it enhances our mood. I know when I'm well-rested whether just through practicing self-care during a busy week or going on an actual vacation I feel so much happier. I think when most of us are sleep-deprived, it can have a negative impact on our mood, which may prevent us from being productive. Number three it increases our resilience. When we are work, work, working without an end in sight, it can do more harm than good. In some cases, when we have a vacation, to look forward to, a super busy schedule is much easier to manage because you have that to look forward to in the distance A rest, a pause. Without that break, you may burn yourself out. We all need things to look forward to and a vacation even if it's a staycation, it can really boost your resilience when you're working really hard the rest of the year. Number four it gives us a new perspective. We all need a break from the routine of everyday life. When we go on vacation, we're in a new environment, meeting new people and having new experiences. This is food for our creative muscles. Now, those are just a few positive aspects of going on vacation. If you have more and I'm sure there are many more please send me an email at info at jenniferlobecom, or you can send a text through the link in the show notes.

Jennifer Logue: 2:34

Now we're going to dive into the cons of going on vacation for artists. There are a lot of artists out there who don't believe in taking time off, and this is something I've seen a lot in my creative journey across mediums. I had a vocal coach years ago who had the mantra no days off. We have to sing and work on our craft every day of the year, including vacations and holidays, which makes a lot of sense. I notice that anytime I skip a day of training. I do notice it vocally. Maybe no one else does, but I do. I feel it. Same thing with acting. I remember there was a really dedicated actor I got to work with and he rehearsed every single day with a rotating group of actors doing Meisner activities for gosh. I want to say at least two years straight. His dedication is insane, it's amazing and he's an incredible actor and that's what it takes to be incredible.

Jennifer Logue: 3:36

So here are some of the cons of taking a vacation. Number one we do lose momentum. This is especially true for singers, musicians and actors. All of those days of consecutive practice that we talked about build on top of each other and really refine your skills as a musician, actor, whatever, even if you're building a business. But when we take a week off to go on vacation, our skills are going to be a little less sharp than they were before we left, so you may be a little rusty.

Jennifer Logue: 4:10

Number two missed opportunities. This can be true for everyone. When you take time to go away, even from a corporate job, you may miss out on an opportunity at the office that would have been great for your career. If you're an actor, maybe you miss out on an audition that pops up out of nowhere. Or if you're a singer, maybe that producer you've been wanting to work with your whole life finally calls you to do backup vocals and you're not in town. So missing opportunities is definitely a negative aspect of going on vacation.

Jennifer Logue: 4:45

Number three financial strain. Now for working artists. The financial strain of going on vacation comes in two parts the money you're spending by going away and the money you're losing by not working. If you don't have a nine to five job, you don't get paid vacation days. So if you're not working, you're not making money. So by choosing to take seven days off of work for an artist, that can be too much of a financial strain in itself. Then you have to factor in how much it costs to go on vacation if it's not a staycation of sorts. So something that should be reducing your stress may add stress, depending on your situation. Again, those are just a few negative aspects of going on vacation for artists. If you have more, let me know, because you know where to find me.

Jennifer Logue: 5:40

So what's my take on this whole thing? Should we take vacations as artists or should we work on our craft 365 days a year? And my answer takes more of a holistic approach to how we view our art. Our art is more than our technique. It's our whole person. It's our mind, our body and spirit. How perfectly we do our scales or do acting exercises, that's only one part of our craft. And for performers especially, our bodies are our vessels for creativity and artistic expression. If we don't take care of our body and mind by giving ourselves proper rest and relaxation, it will hurt our creativity overall. We won't come up with new ideas, we won't be in flow on stage and we risk burning ourselves out.

Jennifer Logue: 6:34

You can be dedicated to your art and still take a vacation. It's not something you should feel guilty about. If anything, taking time to rest and recharge makes you more productive in the long run. So how can we minimize the negative aspects of going on vacation? If you're an artist, okay.

Jennifer Logue: 6:54

So let's start with the first one loss of momentum. If you're concerned about falling behind with training, is there a way you can squeeze in some practice time every day while you're away? If you're a singer, take 20 minutes to do your warm-ups in the morning. If you're a piano player, they do sell foldable pianos that you can travel with. Guitar and uke players. You guys can easily bring your instrument with you and carve out time to play. So you guys got it made. But if you want to take the whole week off, take the whole week off. There's nothing wrong with that. Just be prepared. When you get back to your routine you'll have some cobwebs to shake off. But that's totally okay because you're an artist for your life, your whole life and life is meant to be enjoyed, and we all need a break sometimes.

Jennifer Logue: 7:51

Okay, so this next one is how do we deal with missed opportunities while we're on vacation? Now, this boils down to having a change of perspective. When you make the decision to go on vacation, you have to simply accept that there will be opportunities you may miss, and you have to decide in advance to let them go to, not worry about them. What's meant for you will come to you. Finally, how do we deal with the financial strain of going on vacation? Now, this one's complicated because everyone's situation is different.

Jennifer Logue: 8:29

If you're a working artist, I suggest planning your vacation a year out. Decide on how much you would need to take a few days off and possibly even take a trip. Make that amount your savings goal and figure out how much you would need to put away each week to reach that number. Maybe this year you can only afford a staycation, and that's totally okay. This year you can only afford a staycation, and that's totally okay. It'll still give you time to rest and recharge. Now I want to hear from you what are your thoughts on going on vacation. Do you ever feel guilty about it, or are you all for it? You can email me at info at jenniferlobecom, or send a text through the link in the show notes. I'd love to hear about your perspective. Anyway, that's all I have for this episode of Creative Space. If you love the podcast so far, please leave a review so more people can discover it. My name is Jennifer Logue. Appreciate you taking the time to tune in. Until next time.