Here's how you can balance work and life as a temporary or contract worker in theatrical production.

For theater work you do have to prioritize tasks but many do not understand that there is a definite way of doing it. When producing you have to first get the director and music director on the same page for how rehearsals will be divided and the schedule. But after that you must get costumes, stage manager, set designer and builder into the mix. The set design should be brought to the director asap as the blocking of the show will have to work smoothly with the design and may dictate parts of the set design. Any department that needs long lead time or needs in put before creation of the directors must be included first. So prioritize properly based on what needs time and what can be organized quickly later on.

Boundaries are a must. Set clear lines in the beginning. As a Producer it is your job to balance artistic wants of your directors with the safety of the cast, the budget of the organization, handle actor conflicts, etc. To stay sane while doing this you need to clearly set boundaries with the main parties. Let them know you are not available for calls or emails at set times. Stay off your emails from them at those times and , if needed, turn the ringer off on your phone. When I have Produced I have made a specific email account for that production and that is the only one anyone has. It makes it easier to protect your mental well being so you have less temptation to check when going through personal emails.

Producing is a stressful job so you must take care of your physical and mental well being. Carry a water bottle to rehearsals and meetings, it makes staying hydrated easier. You need to find what mentally relaxes you. Whether it is music, watching a bird feeder, walking, etc. You need to spend some time every day doing this. Even if you need to set a timer you need to fit this into your day. A lot of theater work can end up being at night so having prepped meals ready is very helpful. A little planning can put meals in your freezer for easy eating when needed. When I have a show I have changed the time when I take vitamins B, D, and magnesium. If I take them with dinner I seem to have more energy to get through the long evenings.

This is a hard one for many people, especially, as we get older and more set in our ways. Embracing flexibility means being adaptable to change quickly. This has to be cultivated in your life. Studies have shown that changing the way we take to get to work every 2 weeks, doing anything we do regularly in a different way, trying something new for two weeks, all help to make us more adaptable which is needed with any job that has to produce product on a limited time line. One other thing that helps be flexible is to expect nothing. Do not go in the door expecting good or bad. Just expect that things will be whatever they are going to be and that you can handle it. This way you are not disappointed but always surprised. It does help.