In this episode of the Rock School Proprietor Podcast, John Kozicki (Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) and co-host Mandy York (Music Time of Milford) tackle the topic of burnout, specifically burnout in running your music school. They discuss how it happens and strategies to overcome it.
In this episode:
- John and Mandy share their personal stories and insights
- Why those working in the arts, such as music instructors and studio owners, might be more susceptible to burnout compared to other professions.
- John and Mandy compare their experiences in the corporate world to self-employment
- Strategies for dealing with burnout, including the importance of remembering your ‘why,’ practicing gratitude, seeking collaboration, and taking breaks.
- John and Mandy also emphasize the value of talking it out with peers and focusing on the positives to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Join our private Facebook group, “Performance-Based Music Programs and Rock Schools,” a community for like-minded professionals to connect and share insights.
Episode Transcript:
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Welcome to Rock School Proprietor Podcast. Just a quick heads up before we get
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started. We had some minor audio issues with this episode and we did our best to clean them up.
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Hopefully it’s not too bad. On today’s episode of Rock School Proprietor Podcast,
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we’re talking about burnout. Burnout running your music school.
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How it happens and how to overcome it.
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Music.
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When you are passionate about something, you want to talk about it.
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You want to think about it. You want to do better work, but burnout’s going to exist.
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It’s more about trying to figure out how do you turn that off.
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And as business owners, you know, we’re not just working in the arts.
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We’re business owners in the arts, right?
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We are part of this lucky few that have found our purpose, because not everyone
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can say that. That’s kind of what life’s about.
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Welcome to the Rock School Proprietor Podcast. I’m John Kozicki and my co-host, Mandy. How are you?
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I’m good. How are you doing, John? I’m good. We’re going to talk about burnout today. Yeah.
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How it happens, how to overcome it.
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I’ve got thoughts on why I think people like us who work in the arts,
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It’s music instructors,
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people who run music studios are more susceptible to burnout than, say, like,
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you know, your hourly time clock puncher.
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Maybe someone who, you know, delivers packages for a living or works in a,
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I mean, we’ve got a lot of auto factories here in Michigan.
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Maybe someone who works in an auto factory. I think I’ve got reasons why we
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might be more susceptible to it.
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But I thought I’d start with a story, a story about myself.
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And I think there’s some burnout aspects of this story, but it’ll all come together.
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So I used to work in public relations. And I was a publicist.
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I was a writer. I worked in an office.
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And I mean, at the time, it was like my clients were fun. We got to do fun events.
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The office was relatively small. I liked the people that I worked with.
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I will say that my boss at the time, she was going through some kind of tumultuous
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stuff in her personal life that like flowed over. But I definitely…
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I wouldn’t say i felt fulfilled in my
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job and i’d been
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working there a couple years and i remember driving to work one monday
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morning and i just decided i’m gonna quit and that day like i got to work and
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i put in my notice i just i was like whoa i know yeah wow i didn’t even give
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like i i I only gave one week notice.
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I didn’t even give two weeks. I was just like, talk to my boss.
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Yeah, this is it. Hey, were you married at the time? No.
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Okay. No, but that’s a good question because that comes into play.
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No, I just knew like working in the office, it just wasn’t in that nine to five like grind.
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It just, it wore me down. And I mean, maybe that’s the burnout aspect of it.
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But yeah, I walked in and I was like, I talked to my boss. I was like, you know what?
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This isn’t for me. This is going to be my last week.
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And so put in a notice, worked the rest of the week.
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And I felt great. I felt so good that I was just like, freedom, right?
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But then there was this reality that set in. And you asked if I was married
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at the time. I wasn’t, but I was engaged. Okay. So…
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You know we’re planning a wedding and that reality set in that like i just quit a job,
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and i don’t have another one and i
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i needed like a source of income right so it’s like that high that i felt from
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quitting lasted for a couple weeks and then i was like oh no i didn’t plan this
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out i don’t have it i didn’t even think about what i was going to do after this
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and that’s i I mean, ultimately,
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that’s how I found teaching.
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I was able to get, like, a friend of mine said, well, why don’t you teach guitar?
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And I’d never done it before, but I was like, I guess.
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And I was able to get a job teaching guitar really quickly.
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And I didn’t go into it thinking, like, oh, this is what I’m going to do.
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But I went into it thinking, I need to make some money. Yeah,
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like perfect temporary situation. Yeah.
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Yeah. And like, ultimately, I ended up getting another office job.
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Then I went, I went to work for a nonprofit organization as a development director.
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And, and they happened to be like one of my clients previously when I was working
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in the public relations office.
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And i thought this is a good
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move because in my
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mind i thought like well i didn’t feel like i had a real purpose in in my in
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my job as a publicist and i thought oh non-profit right people people do these
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jobs people get involved in
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non-profits because they they feel good about what they’re doing. Right.
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And, you know, like I got into that job and I felt like, hmm,
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I’m sort of feeling a lot of the same stuff that I felt in my last job.
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Right. Still working in an office, still kind of feeling those same feelings.
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But I was like, I’m supposed to feel connected to this purpose.
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I’m I’m supposed to feel better about it, and I didn’t.
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So that didn’t last either.
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And I ended up only working at that job for about a year and different circumstances
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came up. I ended up moving out of state.
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But in hindsight i was able
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to look back and think okay there’s something here i don’t know how to unpackage
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it but both these jobs that i had working in offices like i had them for different
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reasons but i still felt the same problems you know i still felt like the same
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issues with these jobs So,
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you know, I realized like the office life was kind of what was getting to me about it.
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So, yeah. And I think where this goes is this idea of,
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I mean, in my mind, I thought like having a more meaningful job,
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right, which was the mission of this nonprofit.
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Nonprofit, I thought that would bring happiness.
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And it didn’t. It didn’t, right?
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So, and I think this is where we kind of transition into the discussion about
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burnout, because I think a lot of people fall for this idea that when you have
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purpose, it automatically results in happiness.
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Mm-hmm. And you had mentioned to me that you worked in a nonprofit also.
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Yeah. Yes. And this is so funny. I haven’t heard your story before. I loved that.
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I was kind of the opposite of what you were. So I worked for a nonprofit arts
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organization, and we did three major productions a year.
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Everyone was part-time, right? This is an arts organization.
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We didn’t have a ton of money. The executive director was full-time,
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but everyone else was part-time, right?
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Trying to sustain this organization.
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I worked in development also, John. But, you know, marketing,
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production manager, our accountant, all part-time. But…
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But I loved it. I was passionate about it, right? So none of us had enough time
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to get our jobs done. We were underpaid.
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And then there was the ebb and flow of the year. Hours weren’t normal.
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Sometimes we’re working in the evenings, depending on rehearsal schedules and
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whatever else, if there’s galas happening or whatever else was going on,
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right? Fundraising events.
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But I loved it. Then I had my oldest when I was, I had my first daughter when I was working there.
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And that’s when it was harder because the lines were too blurred for me.
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Like, there was just, there was a lot of stress over this job,
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not having enough time, the stress of always trying to, you know,
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fundraise and grant right to keep the organization alive.
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Live and I was working at home sometimes it was
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it was just too much it was too like the burnout was real
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for everybody in that organization right and so
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I went the opposite direction I quit that job and I got a nine to five in a
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small in a small sales company right it was an executive search firm I and it
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was a small small group but it was in the city cool people I loved Everybody.
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And I would essentially clock in, clock out. You know, there were some happy hours sometimes.
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I enjoyed the group, but I went home and I was done. Right.
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And I, I enjoyed that. That helped me maintain some balance as like a new mom.
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And, and I just kind of relieved the burnout.
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Out but when i
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moved they sent a desk with me they’re like
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you can you can stay on just work remotely they they
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sent a desk i moved away and i was like this is not fun anymore i wasn’t i was
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never passionate about the work i was doing but it was but it was a you know
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people were cool the city was cool and now i’m gone and i’m by myself i’m like
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yep i gotta move on and do something else And I mean,
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that’s when I went off on my own and started the studio.
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So the moral of all these stories is that it doesn’t, like, burnout happens.
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Everywhere. Regardless of your job. Yep. Yeah.
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And i kind of pre-sold this the idea of like the
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the nine to five or you know the
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hourly or whatever i think the big difference in
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in that respect like if you know you’re delivering
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packages for amazon or something yes you clock in you clock
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out you don’t have a connection to the job in in
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a deep way right it’s like well this is my job this is
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what i do there’s that clear delineation between your job
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and then everything else in your personal life now us
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as as music studio owners as
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music instructors those lines as you
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mentioned when you’re working in the nonprofit those lines get
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blurred you’re very passionate about what
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you’re doing and and so you feel so
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connected to the work that you
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have a hard time turning it off
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you have a hard time seeing that delineation between
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like what you’re working on and like
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your personal life because it’s all intermeshed right
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and pair that with the idea of like music
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and arts the whole purpose is like passion in your work right yeah yeah absolutely
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when you are passionate about something you want to talk about it you want to
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think about it you want to do better work you want to do all these things.
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But burnout’s going to exist everywhere.
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Right. It’s like, it’s more about trying to figure out how do you turn that off?
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Yes. So, so that you don’t burn out, I think. Right.
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And that’s why I think working in the arts, we are more susceptible to it.
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Yes. Because we have a hard time, like not thinking about it. We love it.
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We love it. Yep. Yeah. And it’s, you know, you talked about turning it off.
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I think it’s about finding balance, right?
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Just finding a way to balance things out. And as business owners,
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you know, we’re not just working in the arts, we’re business owners in the arts, right?
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So the burnout is real because we are teaching.
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So we’re still doing the job. yeah double dose
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of those those prospects prospective issues that
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are going to come up right burnout from passion burnout from like
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the the tasks the tasks we’re managing teachers we’re managing finances we’re
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managing facilities which includes cleaning like we’re doing all these different
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jobs we’re marketing advertising yeah customer service like all of the things
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i think I think I’ve said it before,
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like, it just, it all comes down to you,
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all these pieces of the business and the puzzle. Yeah. Yeah.
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But that said, because that paints a little bit of a bleak picture.
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It’s like, oh, my gosh, we’ve got all this stuff to do.
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And then in this other category, we’ve got all this stuff to do.
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And like, yeah, how do we separate it?
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But i think it’s really important to to sort
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of i i suppose like put it in the front in front of
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our minds that we are part of this lucky few
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that have found our purpose yes
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because not everyone can say that and that’s
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i mean like that’s kind of what life’s
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about right like everyone’s trying to find their thing everyone’s
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trying to find like some people work the nine to five
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and then they find their thing in their off time right that’s
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great too you know we are the lucky few that
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have figured out how to make our passion also our means of income make it our
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living that’s that’s pretty exceptional and i think it’s important to protect
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and that’s why this conversation is so important,
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because again, it’s so easy to like find yourself in the thick of that burnout
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and then do what I did. Like, oh, I’m going to quit today.
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I’m going to quit. And then all these problems go away and it doesn’t really
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work that way. You just get a new set of problems.
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It works for, in my experience, you feel good for two weeks and then the reality sets in.
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Yeah. So, exactly. You get a new set of problems, whether that’s back in the
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nine to five world or like working for someone else, there’s always going to be bad days.
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Mm-hmm . Always. Oh, yeah. And it doesn’t matter what your profession is,
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everyone has the bad days.
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Yep. No, I totally agree. Yeah.
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Do you daydream a little bit sometimes when you’re in the middle of a burnout?
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Like, what if I was just making coffee?
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I’m a constant daydreamer. I feel like that’s a strength, though.
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You know, that’s like daydreaming is where my ideas come from.
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And then I put together plans to make things cooler and better all the time.
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But you’re saying the opposite. Do you ever daydream about?
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Yeah. Yeah, well, if we’re talking about burnout, when you’re in the middle
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of that burnout, and you’re talking to your favorite barista,
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getting your coffee, you’re like, oh, what if I just went in and made coffee
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and then went home? Yeah.
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But that’s the point.
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It’s just a whole different set of problems. And then you’re not,
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then I don’t want to be removed from this place that I’m at where I am,
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you know, passionate and have found my purpose.
00:16:13.436 –> 00:16:17.076
Yes. Yeah. You know, this isn’t a me story,
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but my wife is a veterinarian and another profession where people get involved
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in that because they’re passionate about or compassionate,
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you know, they’re passionate about like helping animals and like the whole career,
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all the people involved.
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She has those days and she daydreams about being a florist.
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Yeah, there you go. Exactly. Just be a florist and, you know, work in a flower shop.
00:16:48.296 –> 00:16:51.516
But yeah, again, the reality sets in. But ultimately that’s not,
00:16:51.616 –> 00:16:54.516
yeah, that’s not what she wants and needs.
00:16:54.876 –> 00:16:56.836
Different set of problems. Just different set of problems.
00:16:59.056 –> 00:17:01.816
So weathering the storm, like when you’re in it.
00:17:03.713 –> 00:17:07.493
I mean, I’ve got a few bullet points that I think are probably universal.
00:17:07.713 –> 00:17:15.373
And then I’ve got some personal stuff that I’ll share that I like to do in those instances. Yeah.
00:17:15.853 –> 00:17:22.793
But I think counting wins and losses, that’s kind of like a gratitude practice, right?
00:17:22.873 –> 00:17:25.573
And when you’re in the thick of it, when you’re feeling the burnout,
00:17:25.733 –> 00:17:31.333
it’s so easy to count the losses, right? I got to do this task,
00:17:31.433 –> 00:17:33.993
and I got to do this task, and I hate these tasks.
00:17:34.133 –> 00:17:37.333
I got to do these other tasks, and I hate all those tasks.
00:17:38.713 –> 00:17:42.953
We sort of fixate on those losses. It’s easy to do.
00:17:43.573 –> 00:17:49.853
Yeah, I think it’s equally important. And it doesn’t always work when you’re in the thick of it.
00:17:49.913 –> 00:17:54.353
But I think it’s equally important on a regular basis to think about your wins.
00:17:54.813 –> 00:17:58.873
Think about the positives that are associated with your job.
00:17:59.333 –> 00:18:06.513
I think about, I think about our, our, our concerts that we do and the,
00:18:06.593 –> 00:18:11.333
like how happy the students are, like the, the families that come and,
00:18:11.353 –> 00:18:13.413
and like the enjoyment that they get out of that.
00:18:14.933 –> 00:18:21.033
Think about how, like, this is sort of like what I always envisioned 15 years ago.
00:18:21.113 –> 00:18:26.133
I literally have created it, you know, that’s a huge win.
00:18:26.473 –> 00:18:32.393
So I, I try and remind myself of those things on a regular basis so that when
00:18:32.393 –> 00:18:39.913
i i do get in those in those ruts it’s easier to recall them rather than focus
00:18:39.913 –> 00:18:46.313
on the negatives absolutely i think taking a step back and examining you know,
00:18:47.573 –> 00:18:52.033
where you are what’s going on around you some of my my favorite.
00:18:53.514 –> 00:18:56.914
Like, circumstances to think about are, like, the kids that,
00:18:56.974 –> 00:19:01.694
well, really parents, the parents that kind of wanted to give up,
00:19:01.794 –> 00:19:08.314
but you work with every week to be like, no, you hang in here. We’ve got this.
00:19:09.754 –> 00:19:13.274
Because you’re almost helping them in my circumstances, in my case.
00:19:13.294 –> 00:19:17.174
I’m almost helping them through some parenting, you know, difficulties, right?
00:19:17.774 –> 00:19:23.274
Oh, yeah. Joey just doesn’t want to be in here. Joey is just too rambunctious.
00:19:23.514 –> 00:19:29.294
Joey just you know whatever it is and those parents that are willing to work with you,
00:19:29.934 –> 00:19:33.134
and take little steps every week and
00:19:33.134 –> 00:19:36.754
to see how far they’ve come like i think about those
00:19:36.754 –> 00:19:39.534
are some of the situations that i feel best
00:19:39.534 –> 00:19:43.614
about i try to think about those right or i
00:19:43.614 –> 00:19:46.574
i always keep like a card on my desk
00:19:46.574 –> 00:19:49.874
if you ever get a really nice card from
00:19:49.874 –> 00:19:52.874
a client yeah keep it on your desk you know
00:19:52.874 –> 00:19:55.974
as a reminder of like why
00:19:55.974 –> 00:20:03.414
you do what you do i have photos of myself with students i i’ve it’s hard to
00:20:03.414 –> 00:20:08.594
see we’re on video right now but in behind me that there’s a framed photo of
00:20:08.594 –> 00:20:14.614
me with the very first student that ever started with me at my very first music school,
00:20:15.543 –> 00:20:20.063
that’s awesome she’s like she’s married now and in her 20s but like she was
00:20:20.063 –> 00:20:24.743
like eight or nine years old at the time of that photo as just a reminder of
00:20:24.743 –> 00:20:30.783
this is how far you’ve come you know this was number one this was student one
00:20:30.783 –> 00:20:32.903
when you started your first music school.
00:20:34.903 –> 00:20:39.863
Okay resilience when we talk about resilience and this is a port an important
00:20:39.863 –> 00:20:46.523
one because Because where we are did not come from all the positive things that happened.
00:20:47.683 –> 00:20:49.483
Resilience comes from those bad days.
00:20:51.503 –> 00:20:55.063
And it’s the old adage, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?
00:20:55.303 –> 00:21:01.963
But when we are in those ruts, when we are feeling burnout, coming out the other
00:21:01.963 –> 00:21:05.043
side, that’s where our resilience comes from.
00:21:05.223 –> 00:21:08.023
And every time we experience it, we’re stronger. every
00:21:08.023 –> 00:21:10.723
time we hit one of
00:21:10.723 –> 00:21:14.343
these walls we have choices we can
00:21:14.343 –> 00:21:17.283
ignore it and hope it goes away
00:21:17.283 –> 00:21:20.363
or we can look at it as an opportunity to
00:21:20.363 –> 00:21:23.683
say all right it’s not gonna go away I’ve got
00:21:23.683 –> 00:21:26.583
to fix this problem how am I gonna fix this problem
00:21:26.583 –> 00:21:30.203
because when it happens again I’ll
00:21:30.203 –> 00:21:33.263
be better equipped to deal with it and I i won’t feel so
00:21:33.263 –> 00:21:37.223
like so burnt out yeah
00:21:37.223 –> 00:21:40.863
this we learn from we
00:21:40.863 –> 00:21:46.063
learn from our mistakes or from these these difficult situations for sure yeah
00:21:46.063 –> 00:21:53.603
tackling it head on yeah remembering our why this is i mean very similar to
00:21:53.603 –> 00:21:56.563
what we were just talking about about like i’ve got the photos you’ve You’ve
00:21:56.563 –> 00:21:58.203
got the thank you cards, you know,
00:21:59.243 –> 00:22:01.083
remembering why you do this.
00:22:01.263 –> 00:22:06.603
And anyone listening who needs to kind of hone in on that, maybe go back and
00:22:06.603 –> 00:22:12.723
listen to our episode about finding your why and how to express that and apply it.
00:22:14.003 –> 00:22:17.543
Again, that’s super important. That’s your purpose, right?
00:22:17.643 –> 00:22:26.543
That’s like what you feel strongly enough about to pursue this business or your
00:22:26.543 –> 00:22:28.363
teaching or whatever it is.
00:22:29.303 –> 00:22:33.963
Absolutely. That is a really important one that will help me get through burnout.
00:22:34.803 –> 00:22:39.643
Taking a step back, remembering the why. It goes hand in hand with,
00:22:39.743 –> 00:22:42.423
yeah, gratitude, I think. But yeah. Yes. Sorry, go ahead. Yeah.
00:22:43.023 –> 00:22:48.623
And actually, like, sometimes actually taking a break, whatever that is,
00:22:48.643 –> 00:22:52.343
if that’s half a day or if that’s calling in a sub for, you know,
00:22:52.343 –> 00:22:55.323
classes, like whatever that looks like, your break looks like.
00:22:55.423 –> 00:23:02.023
Half an hour, full day, taking a break and coming back sometimes refreshes that
00:23:02.023 –> 00:23:08.063
why for me. Yeah, that’s in fact, that’s one of my tactics is that I’ll get to. Okay.
00:23:08.943 –> 00:23:12.683
The last bullet point I have for weathering the storm, and you know,
00:23:12.683 –> 00:23:14.643
by no means is this a complete list.
00:23:14.863 –> 00:23:18.483
There’s tons, but I think these are some good ones.
00:23:18.543 –> 00:23:23.923
Getting out of our own heads. And again, this kind of goes back to when we’re
00:23:23.923 –> 00:23:26.263
feeling it. It’s so easy to focus on the losses.
00:23:26.363 –> 00:23:31.883
It’s so easy to focus on the negatives that that we’re dealing with.
00:23:33.063 –> 00:23:37.483
Getting out of our heads and talk it out, vent with someone,
00:23:37.743 –> 00:23:42.563
you know, talk with talk with a friend, talk with another music instructor,
00:23:42.703 –> 00:23:44.563
another lesson studio owner.
00:23:46.163 –> 00:23:52.683
Because I think getting it out of our heads allows us to then have a clearer
00:23:52.683 –> 00:24:00.303
mind for either dealing with the problems or being able to refocus on the positive aspects of our jobs.
00:24:01.203 –> 00:24:07.143
Absolutely. I have a pretty strong network of teachers and directors that teach
00:24:07.143 –> 00:24:08.523
the Music Together curriculum.
00:24:09.043 –> 00:24:13.103
So that’s a great place to go. And they’re always going to lift you up,
00:24:13.163 –> 00:24:16.023
right? Right. If you need to get it out there.
00:24:16.363 –> 00:24:23.283
And I’m lucky enough to have a pretty great admin at my studio that is she’s smart. She’s awesome.
00:24:23.403 –> 00:24:30.983
And if I, you know, I can vent a little bit to her and she’s a great person
00:24:30.983 –> 00:24:34.223
to say, like, well, you know, maybe we should do this or.
00:24:34.223 –> 00:24:40.323
Or, but you’ve got to remember, you know, this is how she’ll start those sentences.
00:24:40.403 –> 00:24:43.863
Like, you’ve got to remember, like, this is real good right now.
00:24:44.203 –> 00:24:48.103
Or, you know, same thing. Just a great person to be.
00:24:48.789 –> 00:24:51.609
To talk through things with. Right. And when you have those folks,
00:24:51.749 –> 00:24:55.609
when you have contemporaries that work in the same space as you,
00:24:55.789 –> 00:25:01.589
chances are pretty good that they’re going to have experienced these things in the past as well.
00:25:01.829 –> 00:25:06.409
Yeah. So they can, you know, first commiserate and they can empathize,
00:25:06.429 –> 00:25:10.509
but they also might have suggestions on how to overcome.
00:25:11.249 –> 00:25:15.749
And again, sometimes we just need someone to tell us what to do.
00:25:16.229 –> 00:25:20.809
Right? Yeah. When you feel like, when you’re in the thick of it and you just
00:25:20.809 –> 00:25:24.909
sort of feel like, what am I going to do? I don’t like doing this. I don’t like doing that.
00:25:25.049 –> 00:25:30.709
But if someone just says, hey, do this and then do this and you’ll be done.
00:25:31.289 –> 00:25:34.329
That gives us easy steps that we can follow.
00:25:35.149 –> 00:25:38.829
And then that goes with a lot of things. Sometimes we just need to figure out,
00:25:38.869 –> 00:25:43.969
well, what is that first step to take to like overcome whatever obstacle we’re in?
00:25:44.769 –> 00:25:50.669
Yeah. Okay. So practical tactics, practical tactics that have worked for you.
00:25:50.749 –> 00:25:57.189
I know you had mentioned to me earlier something about collaborating when you feel burnt out.
00:25:57.189 –> 00:26:04.129
Yeah, which might feel like taking on more, you know, more work,
00:26:04.209 –> 00:26:10.629
but it’s inspiring to me and it’s refreshing to me to kind of collaborate and collaborate.
00:26:12.825 –> 00:26:18.825
You mentioned reaching out to colleagues and having them just tell you what
00:26:18.825 –> 00:26:21.125
to do, right? Do this, do that, right?
00:26:21.665 –> 00:26:27.605
That’s always great. I’ve had colleagues reach out too that will say like, don’t do that.
00:26:28.885 –> 00:26:35.585
Stop doing that. That’s also really helpful, right? Yeah. Sometimes it’s almost
00:26:35.585 –> 00:26:36.345
like we need permission.
00:26:36.925 –> 00:26:40.865
I have to do all these things. I have to. I need to. But reaching out,
00:26:40.885 –> 00:26:44.465
expressing your burnout, and having someone say, don’t do that.
00:26:44.605 –> 00:26:47.365
You don’t need to do that. Stop that. Do more of this.
00:26:47.665 –> 00:26:51.585
Right? And kind of for me, it’s the collaboration piece.
00:26:52.125 –> 00:26:56.885
It’s refreshing. I like working in our area schools.
00:26:57.425 –> 00:27:04.285
It’s refreshing to go into a new space and new faces and get the excitement
00:27:04.285 –> 00:27:06.305
from teachers and new kids.
00:27:06.305 –> 00:27:11.085
Working with a senior center a local senior center i like to do that and go in,
00:27:12.145 –> 00:27:15.305
so you’re recentering on your why when you
00:27:15.305 –> 00:27:18.665
do that i think yeah yeah right
00:27:18.665 –> 00:27:22.205
this is there’s no i mean you’re volunteering you’re you’re
00:27:22.205 –> 00:27:28.665
taking like what you you are good at and you’re offering it to others yep just
00:27:28.665 –> 00:27:35.545
expanding that reach yeah yeah bringing more into the fold i also So I also
00:27:35.545 –> 00:27:40.325
like to kind of workshop or collaborate with my teachers.
00:27:40.545 –> 00:27:46.245
That’s refreshing to me. Hey, guys, let’s get together and share ideas.
00:27:46.885 –> 00:27:51.285
Right? That’s awesome. Whether it’s just within my center or,
00:27:51.305 –> 00:27:56.885
you know, there’s a few in the southeast Michigan area that I can collaborate with.
00:27:58.285 –> 00:28:03.305
That idea, if I can, sorry, if I can elaborate on it.
00:28:03.305 –> 00:28:11.065
That, in my mind, is when you’re kind of teaming up and working on new ideas,
00:28:11.205 –> 00:28:14.425
that’s evolving what you do, right?
00:28:14.485 –> 00:28:20.725
That’s putting new life into something that might feel a little bit stale and
00:28:20.725 –> 00:28:25.385
stagnant, and it’s almost like a new project, right?
00:28:25.445 –> 00:28:29.165
We always get excited about new projects, so that’s a great one.
00:28:29.705 –> 00:28:36.485
Yes, I really love doing that. And I work with my team more regularly over the
00:28:36.485 –> 00:28:38.805
last couple years than when I did in the beginning.
00:28:39.205 –> 00:28:43.625
Well, my team was smaller in the beginning, but it’s great to have teachers
00:28:43.625 –> 00:28:47.265
to bounce ideas off and breathe new life into what you’re doing.
00:28:47.345 –> 00:28:51.845
It feels like, yes, you’re just getting better and better every time you have
00:28:51.845 –> 00:28:57.265
that kind of that workshop and collaborating with your employees, your peers, too.
00:28:58.805 –> 00:29:03.485
I also would like to observe like take a break from what I’m doing and,
00:29:04.579 –> 00:29:11.099
In my world, in my early childhood world, I’ll go observe an elementary teacher I know in the area.
00:29:11.519 –> 00:29:16.219
Or I’ll travel a bit and go observe other Music Together teachers.
00:29:16.959 –> 00:29:24.039
Just to kind of get on the other side of the classroom and observe and learn.
00:29:24.639 –> 00:29:29.059
It feels like a break. It feels fun. It feels fun being on the other side, right? Right.
00:29:29.599 –> 00:29:34.579
So it’s a couple of ways that I would consider collaborating and observing.
00:29:35.559 –> 00:29:44.359
Okay. I have two that I will regularly use when I’m feeling like just down,
00:29:44.519 –> 00:29:45.859
burnt out in the thick of it.
00:29:46.639 –> 00:29:51.079
Number one is I offer to help other people.
00:29:52.959 –> 00:29:59.359
When i’m just like you know and i think part of this i’ll preface this by saying like,
00:30:00.099 –> 00:30:03.159
this could be a potential trap for the wrong person because it
00:30:03.159 –> 00:30:07.599
in part of it it’s avoidance right i’m maybe like avoiding some of these things
00:30:07.599 –> 00:30:13.099
that i don’t want to do but i have a purpose and it almost always works for
00:30:13.099 –> 00:30:21.459
me so i i also have a network of other music school owners that I will just reach out to and say,
00:30:21.559 –> 00:30:23.999
hey, who needs help with anything right now?
00:30:24.639 –> 00:30:29.039
I’m here to help if anyone’s got a problem that they’re working on and they
00:30:29.039 –> 00:30:34.039
need some help, let me know, I’m happy to offer any suggestions or offer my help.
00:30:35.299 –> 00:30:44.039
The reason I do it is almost every time what I find is that I’m no longer focused
00:30:44.039 –> 00:30:46.919
on my problem, I’m focused on someone else’s problem.
00:30:47.539 –> 00:30:52.059
And in focusing on someone else’s problem, I’m removed from all the,
00:30:52.059 –> 00:30:54.199
the like personal baggage.
00:30:55.879 –> 00:31:01.819
It helps me to kind of reframe like my mindset and realize like,
00:31:02.019 –> 00:31:06.979
oh, my problem is really still tied to my personal baggage.
00:31:07.139 –> 00:31:10.879
Right. And then like in helping someone else, I have a better frame of mind
00:31:10.879 –> 00:31:15.999
to, to accomplish whatever I need to do and, and, and help myself. Yeah.
00:31:16.919 –> 00:31:21.999
That is awesome. I think that’s so great.
00:31:22.319 –> 00:31:27.779
It’s really counterintuitive to me. Like, I would have a hard time doing that,
00:31:27.839 –> 00:31:31.479
but it makes me appreciate you a lot more. I think that’s very cool.
00:31:31.639 –> 00:31:34.879
I think it’s very cool that that’s how you approach it.
00:31:35.259 –> 00:31:39.179
Well, I’ll say, I mean, like, you sort of do something similar.
00:31:39.259 –> 00:31:46.139
You said you’ll go and do a class at a senior center or something like that. Yes.
00:31:47.124 –> 00:31:52.864
You know, that is like you’re volunteering your service. You’re volunteering what you do.
00:31:53.184 –> 00:31:59.384
Yes. Again, I think it, like it changes your mindset and most of this stuff
00:31:59.384 –> 00:32:07.964
is all about what we’re thinking and overcoming our negative thoughts is like this ongoing thing.
00:32:08.464 –> 00:32:14.084
So yeah, helping others, I will offer to help anyone who needs help.
00:32:15.504 –> 00:32:20.544
Number two, and this is a big one. I even do this for small problems,
00:32:20.644 –> 00:32:24.104
not even when I’m burnt out, but just like when I start to feel like,
00:32:24.164 –> 00:32:26.744
oh, I need a break. I step away.
00:32:27.304 –> 00:32:33.784
I step away for a few minutes. Sometimes it’s just take like quick five-minute walk,
00:32:33.984 –> 00:32:39.744
right, and get my body moving so that like when my body moves,
00:32:39.804 –> 00:32:45.004
I feel like less focused on the stagnation of like my negative thoughts.
00:32:46.224 –> 00:32:51.424
It just changes my outlook. Or I’ll play music.
00:32:51.864 –> 00:32:56.744
And I think this is like I’m super grateful that I’m able to do this.
00:32:57.544 –> 00:33:00.624
When i get stuck when i’m like sitting at the computer trying to
00:33:00.624 –> 00:33:04.224
figure out all these problems and solve issues
00:33:04.224 –> 00:33:07.164
i’m just i remember
00:33:07.164 –> 00:33:13.984
doing this during covid a lot which i would just play drums for 10 minutes just
00:33:13.984 –> 00:33:19.544
completely check out from whatever i’m doing put on some headphones play along
00:33:19.544 –> 00:33:24.904
to some music i i think that’s very similar to the like just getting active thing at least the,
00:33:25.784 –> 00:33:31.424
the the drums for me because it’s more of a physical thing than than other instruments
00:33:31.424 –> 00:33:36.204
so yeah i feel lucky that i can do that i can just.
00:33:37.654 –> 00:33:43.154
Take a break and play music. Yes. Yeah. I do the same thing.
00:33:43.294 –> 00:33:46.494
Like, I mean, singing. I’ll sing, right?
00:33:47.134 –> 00:33:52.534
We are lucky that that’s something that is more natural for us to go to.
00:33:52.614 –> 00:33:55.034
I wish it was more natural for other people, right?
00:33:55.534 –> 00:33:59.434
I think a lot of people know if you take a break and take a walk,
00:33:59.574 –> 00:34:03.014
get your body moving, that’s good for stress levels, right? Right.
00:34:03.374 –> 00:34:09.034
But I think even more so, like making music, the chemical reactions that happen
00:34:09.034 –> 00:34:15.054
in your brain and what happens there, it’s one of the best things you can do. Yep.
00:34:15.614 –> 00:34:19.674
Definitely not something I could have done working in the office.
00:34:20.094 –> 00:34:23.054
Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Yeah.
00:34:23.774 –> 00:34:30.954
Well, so I think what I want to do is this is all going to be in our show notes.
00:34:32.154 –> 00:34:36.294
I mean, it’s one thing to listen to it, but I think having it as a resource,
00:34:36.534 –> 00:34:41.554
if anyone who is listening to this needs to go back and, you know,
00:34:41.554 –> 00:34:47.574
lift our ideas or utilize some of our suggestions, all of these will be in the
00:34:47.574 –> 00:34:50.894
show notes at rockschoolproprietor.com.
00:34:54.074 –> 00:34:58.674
Burnout’s hard. Yep. To kind of put a pin in this one and wrap it up.
00:35:00.213 –> 00:35:04.153
Again, we’re working in the arts. We’re passionate people.
00:35:05.913 –> 00:35:12.193
Compassion fatigue, that’s a real thing. Yep. And we’re all going to experience it.
00:35:12.913 –> 00:35:18.513
But it’s important, again, for us to realize that it’s going to happen whether
00:35:18.513 –> 00:35:21.373
we’re working a nine-to-five or the job that we work.
00:35:22.673 –> 00:35:27.133
Yes, absolutely. And you’re not alone. Definitely not alone. Yeah.
00:35:27.973 –> 00:35:32.273
So I think we’ll wrap it up for this episode of Rock School Proprietor Podcast.
00:35:32.533 –> 00:35:36.113
Great suggestions, Mandy. Thank you. Thank you, John. That was great.
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All right. We’ll see you next time.
00:35:39.913 –> 00:35:43.913
I had some additional thoughts that I wanted to share after the conversation with Mandy.
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When you set out to tackle the tasks or solve the problems that triggered those
00:35:49.913 –> 00:35:50.993
feelings of burnout, out,
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are you simply addressing that specific problem or working on fixing the breakdown
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in the system that caused the problem in the first place?
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So this doesn’t apply to everything, but oftentimes these things that come up
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that annoy us, that we feel are pulling our attention away from our actual work,
00:36:10.973 –> 00:36:12.853
they can be recurring problems.
00:36:13.593 –> 00:36:19.433
Obviously, this won’t always be the case, but it’s certainly worth asking yourself,
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have I been in this situation before because of the same set of circumstances?
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If you find yourself experiencing the same negative feelings resulting from
00:36:30.153 –> 00:36:35.213
the same or very similar problems, it might be that whatever system you have
00:36:35.213 –> 00:36:37.173
in place could be triggering the issue.
00:36:37.353 –> 00:36:42.533
And if that’s the case, then you’re likely doomed to find yourself in a similar
00:36:42.533 –> 00:36:43.733
situation in the future.
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While it might seem bigger and more daunting, your future self will thank you
00:36:48.833 –> 00:36:54.073
for fixing, updating, or modifying your process so that you’re less likely to
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find yourself in the same place down the road.
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If you have topic suggestions or questions, or maybe you’ve got a strategy you
00:37:02.353 –> 00:37:06.093
used when you’re dealing with burnout and you want to share it, please let us know.
00:37:06.393 –> 00:37:10.313
Info at rockschoolproprietor.com is where you can contact us.
00:37:10.353 –> 00:37:14.233
We’d love to hear from you. Show notes and transcripts for this and all episodes
00:37:14.233 –> 00:37:15.953
are at rockschoolproprietor.com.
00:37:16.293 –> 00:37:20.553
I’m at rockschoolproprietor on Instagram. If you’d like to connect with me there,
00:37:20.673 –> 00:37:23.293
you can also find me on LinkedIn as John Kazicki.
00:37:23.473 –> 00:37:26.513
If you enjoyed this show and gained insight from our conversation,
00:37:26.773 –> 00:37:28.153
then we count that as a win.
00:37:28.313 –> 00:37:31.773
All we ask in return is that you pay it forward and share the show with someone
00:37:31.773 –> 00:37:34.593
you think needs to hear it. When you can, we hope you apply.
00:37:34.640 –> 00:37:45.735
Music.
