r/Theatre • u/Sad_End_9904 • 3d ago

Advice Feeling drained from tech week

I really need some help. Between being sick, having homework, and having rehearsal daily for 4 hours I am burnt out. I can tell that I am pushing my body too far, but since it’s tech week, I can’t just take a day off. I don’t know what to do.

5 Upvotes

78% Upvoted

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13

u/ISeeADarkSail 3d ago

Eat well. Fresh fruits and veg.... Nuts and berries.... Fish and chicken if you're omnivorous.....

Get enough sleep. Do not diss the nap! Even 10 minutes of mindful rest can go a loooong way!

Don't get duped by supplements, by potions, and hogwash that some people are going to try to sell you on. They're nonsense....

And well, in the immortal words of my wife "Fk it. We'll sleep when we're dead!" 🤣🤣🤣

Break a leg eh

3

u/Shaula-Alnair 3d ago

Never diss the nap! You don't even have to sleep for it to help.

In general all of this, and then try to plan a couple days to just be dead once the show opens. Do nothing but the bare minimum for work and school, no plans with friends that don't involve you flopped on the couch. If you're gonna work hard, then you will need to rest hard.

12

u/bionicallyironic 3d ago

I don’t know if it’s at all helpful, but I almost always feel like this the Wednesday/Thursday of tech week. It’s HARD, especially when you have so much going on. But then opening night comes along, and it’s so much easier after that.

Sneak in naps wherever you can, stay hydrated, try to not eat junk food, it can make you feel extra sluggish when you’re already not feeling great.

9

u/Resident-Coconut-343 3d ago

Chicken soup. Take your breaks and not on your phone. Every bit of time you can rest, do so. Also mask up. A rough cold can kill a production.

3

u/ISeeADarkSail 3d ago

Yes! This!!!

Turn off the damn phone!!!!

If you need something for your eyes, get a physical, paper, book and read that..... Especially something with nothing to do with your play or your school work.

I mostly put mine over my face, so I could nap under it

Exception. Headphones and restful music is an ok reason to keep your mobile around.... Just stay off the screen 🤙

2

u/badwolf1013 3d ago

You have to be disciplined.  No scrolling, no channel-surfing. Nothing that can cut into your sleep time. Everything will be better and go easier if you are rested.  Don’t drink coffee or energy drinks any later than about 2pm. You won’t sleep well.  Hydrate. Sleep. If you don’t, you can’t do your job.  And schedule your time. If you have homework to do, set the time to do it and do it. That way, when you’re in rehearsal, you’re not thinking about anything else. And practice this phrase: “I can’t. I’m in tech week.” 

You’ll be okay. 

(Oh, and if you’re performing, talk as little as possible outside of being on stage. Those vocal cords need rest, too.)