Avoid Burnout as an Animator
There are no two thoughts about the fact that animation is a demanding and detail-oriented profession. For animators, animation isn’t just a job, it’s a way of life. Bringing a character to life is something they take very seriously. However, to an audience, it might seem like a cakewalk. The reality of a character breathing, moving and existing is something only an animator can understand. Sometimes, it even includes sleepless nights. Alongside the joy of creativity comes exertion, deadlines and the state of being overworked. This can lead to serious burnout. While individuals in every profession experience burnout, it can be even more for animators because of how detail-oriented it is. Even the best animators experience it. Animation institutes in Bangalore actually teach you how to avoid burnout in their modules.
Strategies to Avoid Burning Out in the Animation Industry
With the growing needs of the animation industry, the number of individuals working in it are also increasing. To ensure that the results are top-notch, animators have to be in the pink of their health. We’re going to be looking at a few tips that will help you deal with animation burnout:
Plan your Day & Workflow
First and foremost, it’s important to structure your workflow. When you’re starting out as an animator, you might tend to be a little overoptimistic. Set goals that are realistic. If there is a big project you’re working on, split it into smaller tasks. This will help you achieve daily and weekly goals. When you’re concentrating too hard on something, take breaks. Instead of working continuously for an hour, work for fifty minutes and take a ten-minute break. This will help you cope with the project. As an animator, your goal should be to reduce cognitive load.
Make Time for Personal Projects
Those in the animation industry are mainly there because of their passion. However, because they are continuously working on commercial projects, their passion somewhere gets lost. Don’t let that happen to you. To rekindle the spark of your first animation gig, it’s best to take some time and focus on personal projects. No matter how busy you are, try something new. Doing projects outside work can help you combat burnout. Personal projects also help you grow. When you finish a personal animation project, it feels pretty rewarding to know that you’re doing it for yourself and not for a client.
Outsource Work to Fellow Animators
No matter how good you’re at your work, everybody needs support. As an animator, you don’t have to take up all the projects yourself. When you’re feeling tired and burnt out, it’s a good idea to outsource work to fellow animators. There are several animation groups and organisations you’ll find. You can give some cleaning up and framing work to other animators. By outsourcing smaller tasks, you can focus on the bigger ones.
Use Tools to Simplify your Workflow
Thanks to AI, certain tasks can be simplified. Learn about the new tools that can help you speed up your process. You don’t have to be completely dependent on them. Instead, you can use it as a value addition to enhance the quality of your work. As far as possible, automate repetitive tasks to avoid burning out.
Prioritise Self-Care & Mental Wellness
Needless to say, self-care and mental wellness should be a priority in every profession. It’s best to watch out for early signs of mental exhaustion. When you’re feeling low, speak to someone and tweak your routine. You can also connect with fellow animators and vent to them. Nobody will understand your pain better than an animator because they’re likely to be in the same boat as you. An animator’s job requires them to spend long hours in front of the screen. Take regular breaks so that physically and mentally you don’t end up feeling tired and drained. Make time for exercise, meals and sleep so that you can operate at your healthy best.
Final Words
With the right strategies in place, it’s easy to achieve work-life balance as an animator. You can even prevent burnout. Always remember, to succeed in the animation industry, your well-being should always be your top priority. With the right support, animation burnout can be prevented. Vogue is one of the best design colleges in Bangalore that offer myriad courses on multimedia design, fashion design, interior design and more.
