Being in the music business has its perks for sure, but there are also a lot of responsibilities that come along with the industry and lifestyle. And aside from juggling those things, you also have to maintain your outside life and responsibilities, like family and your home. Balance is everything, but how do you keep from being overwhelmed by any aspect of it?

Scheduling

While a lot of musicians like to be spontaneous and not worry about planning ahead, if you’re going to be serious about the music business, you have to learn to schedule everything, and keep track of it. Whether you maintain a physical appointment book or use an electronic device like a cell phone calendar or e-tablet, you should log every meeting, event, activity, session, practice, or anything else you have on your plate to assure you know where to be at what time, all the time.
Set reminders and notifications on your electronic devices so that you know when something is coming up. This will keep you from rushing around and being late, both of which add a lot of hassle and stress to an already hectic lifestyle.

Diversity Vs Monotony

While it can be easy to follow the same schedule every day, part of the reason you got into the music business was to have fun. If you wanted to have a set schedule that’s the same every day, you would’ve taken a desk job at a call center or something like that. Make sure that, while you don’t make it difficult to maintain, you add some variety to your work schedule so you don’t get stuck in a rut.

The same is true of the company you keep. You’ll see your band members, your agent or manager, and others working closely with you all the time. Try to break that routine, as well, finding other musicians or even friends outside the industry to spend time with, just to break the cycle.

Personal & Family Time

Part of the reason for keeping a schedule and acknowledging all of your appointments is so that you don’t make the mistake of neglecting your personal life. There should be specific time for family and friends, as well as for yourself. If you are booked solid for several days with appearances and other commitments, be sure to block off a couple of days to just relax and live a ‘normal’ life with your family or even alone.

Going nonstop is what causes a lot of musicians to burn out early. You can avoid this by making sure you have a source of refreshment away from the ‘office’ as it were. Just like someone who works a desk job puts the job away for awhile, you need to step out of the music business, sometimes thinking of it as a 9-5 job, just so you don’t become so wrapped up in it you can’t escape.

Being in the music business is a dream come true for many, but if you let it take over your life, it can turn into a nightmare quickly. You should assure that your personal time is ample, and that your schedule is maintained so that you don’t become lost and confused in the chaos of the lifestyle.