A Wellness Guide for Touring Artists. 

Touring might initially seem like all good things; however, only an artist who has toured before knows the difficulties and challenges that come with it. Sure, it is a big achievement in the life of an artist, but it brings a lot of stress, physical as well as mental exhaustion along.

If you’re planning to hit the road this year, this blog can help you navigate the complexities that might arise during your touring.

We’ll be taking a look at the following:

1. How do Artists Prepare for a Tour?
   
   
2. How to Manage Performance Anxiety When Touring?
   
   
3. What Can I do During the Tour to Manage the Stress?
   
   
4. How to Get Back to Routine After Touring?
   
   
5. Final Thoughts
   
   

How do Artists Prepare for a Tour?

Excited? You should be. Touring can be a milestone, however, it can easily turn into a nightmare when planned incorrectly. What can actually go wrong? You might ask. Here are a few things you must plan wisely to keep your touring as smooth as possible, avoiding stress for the future.

• Getting to be creative: 

  
  As a musician, you get to be creative. It’s quite literally your job to be creative. Oftentimes, what makes us pursue something can be the same thing that causes us stress. When touring, you need to pick your crew, keeping in mind, these will be the people surrounding you for the entire span. Helping you perform, do your job, and be creative. If you aren’t surrounded by people who reflect your goals and ambition towards the craft of music, you’ll find yourself trapped between a bunch, you can’t wait to get away from.
  
  The people you choose to be surrounded with during touring must be people you wish to spend time with, it isn’t a mere corporate job. It’s a full-time role, touring from place to place can easily exhaust you if the people around you aren’t creatively fulfilling or supporting your vision. 

• Planning Efficiently:

  
  Touring is more than just booking venues and travelling to perform. There are a lot of aspects to touring that one must plan to avoid chaos at the moment:
  
  Delegating tasks: However, small or huge your crew is, dividing tasks based on the strengths of the members is extremely important. Tasks must be delegated in a way to make sure everything stays organized and no crew member is unaware of or new to their responsibilities.
  
  Keeping a handbook: Make a list of people leading different areas, in case something goes wrong, you will be able to reach the right person.
  
  Carry your legal documents: From a driver's license to the permission to perform. Make sure all legal documents are at hand, just in case you might need anything.
  
  Tickets & Payments: Ensure that your travel is evenly spaced out. Do not set unrealistic expectations to perform in the night and catch the next plane in a few hours. Touring is physically exhausting, so make sure you have enough time to rest between the different dates. All the payments from plane tickets to venue must be taken care of before performing, so no last-minute disagreements or problems arise.
  
  Plan according to the budget: Touring can be expensive, planning a budget and dividing money for each activity can help you from going over what you can afford. Since no matter what, some miscellaneous expenses will come up, set a little extra money aside, just in case.
   

• Prepare yourself physically:

  Before you hit the road, practise healthy eating as well as exercise habits to keep yourself in shape, not only externally but also to increase endurance and strength. No unhealthy or physically weak person can keep up with the harsh lifestyle of touring and the physical exhaustion that comes with it.
  
  
  

How to Manage Performance Anxiety When Touring?

No musician just starting out is comfortable with the thought of getting up on stage and performing for people. I mean, stage fright isn’t something new; almost everyone struggles with it. However, as cliche as it might sound, the more you do it, the better you get. Most of all, enjoy it when you drop the expectations of pleasing the crowd and instead start focusing on how you can connect with your art better, is when it actually lands as intended.

You can try these tips to manage your anxiety better:

1. Practice as much as you can; it will not only help you get better at your craft but also give you confidence and faith in your expertise.
   
   
2. Do not consume any substances to try and aid your anxiety; it will do the opposite instead and can get you overstimulated.
    
3. Do a quick workout or stretch before you get on the stage. Exercise releases natural dopamine, which can help you shift your focus to the rush and excitement of performing.
   
   
4. Remember, the point of performing. It isn’t to please anyone but yourself. The purpose of performing is to grow as a musician. What’s the worst that could happen? I can at least say it won’t be the end of the world for sure.
   
   

Remember, to just do it, do it scared, it just might change your life :)

What Can I do During the Tour to Manage the Stress?

Touring can bring in a lot of unexpected anxiety and symptoms of depression, due to being away from people you love. The lack of a healthy lifestyle to the hectic schedule certainly don’t help either.
Here are a few practices that can save you from a lot of turmoil during the touring days:

1. Refrain from Substance Use:
   Touring culture brings a lot of coping mechanisms, one of which is indulgence of Substances, however, this can only make things worse. Avoid any kind of substance on your tour, or it just might leave you addicted and stuck in toxic habits of indulgence.
   
   
   
   
2. Get some good sleep:
   The physical toll on the body only worsens your health and starts impacting your performance when you let your tight schedule get the best of you. Instead of partying every night after the performance, catch some sleep. Make sure your body recovers from the physical toll of it.
    
3. Keep your food intake in check:
   You are what you eat, literally. If you’re having Coke and burgers throughout your touring, frankly, you aren’t gonna feel so good. Travelling for such an extended period can affect your gut health a lot. If you’re not keeping your intake healthy, you aren’t going to feel fresh and energized. So, load up on fibers and healthy food that suits your gut.
    
4. Talk to someone:
   Touring can make you feel lonely, as well as stressed, anxious, and depressed due to the pressure of performing, travelling, and a whole lot more other things. Make sure you talk to someone about it, generic, I know! But it helps. Keeping your feelings pent up can lead to you getting frustrated and the mental condition worsening. It isn’t easy, you must acknowledge that, and if you’re having a hard time, reach out to someone. You’ll probably find you’re not the only one struggling.
   
   Additionally, MusiCares offers financial assistance, medical support, and resources for personal emergencies. Musicians facing mental health challenges can access resources like Music Minds Matter, which offers a free, 24/7 helpline.
    

How to Get Back to Routine After Touring?

Back from the tour? It can be harder than expected to get back on with your life, as usual, like before. However, the habits and the mental toll stay behind even after you finish touring. So the question remains, how do I get back to my productive and mentally flourishing routine? Here’s everything you can do to get back into shape.

1. Take Rest:
   This is the most important step to recover from the touring blues. To let your body recover, allow yourself to rest. Take some time off, get your sleep schedule in check, and your eating habits too. Put your phone on do not disturb and doze off!
   
   
2. Go Meet your Friends:
   Touring is especially tough due to the distance and lack of time with people you care about. So make sure you find time to spend with your loved ones, catch up and tell them everything, from what you did before the performance to the time you made a blunder. Remember, after an exhausting tour, replenishing your soul is just as important as your health.
   
3. Practice your Music:
   Without any expectations or the pressure to perform, reconnect with your art. This is extremely healing, as touring can suffocate you by leaving no creative space, no time to try something new, or work on new ideas. Getting back to your art and practices can be especially hard after that. Hence, make sure you leave creative space for yourself to nurture the artist in you after a hectic tour.
   
   
   

Final Thoughts

Touring isn’t all fun or stress. It’s a blend of both, and while it's easy to get carried away with the stress and forget why you initially decided on touring, it’s extremely important to remind yourself of everything you will learning along the journey, not only as an artist but as a person.

If you’re excited, you should be! However, when working with a crew, always question yourself and your habits with reasoning and logic. Maintaining a good, respectful outlook is equally as important as putting on a good performance, and most importantly, do not forget to acknowledge how you feel.

We at GreaseRelease, have a bunch of curators on our network who are looking for new & exciting music to push on their massive playlists. If you make music and want to reach a wider audience, check out our submission platform and get a chance to reach millions of listeners! Submit your tracks now!