Why You're Exhausted by Work You Once Loved
The hidden cost of "always on" culture in entertainment and creative industries
I used to think answering venue emails at 3am made me a dedicated professional. After 25 years managing international tours and opera productions, I've learned it just made me an exhausted one.
Maybe it was the 3am venue email about a "minor" stage change. Or the weekend you spent fixing problems that proper systems would have prevented. Perhaps it's that sinking feeling when you realize you've lost the joy in work you once loved.
You're not alone. And you're definitely not broken.
After 25+ years managing some of Europe's most complex live productions—from Gabriel Rios multi-city tours to 180-person Opera Ballet Vlaanderen productions—I've learned something the productivity gurus won't tell you:
The chaos isn't inevitable. The burnout isn't a badge of honor. There's a better way.
The Entertainment Industry's Dirty Secret
Our industry has normalized something toxic: the belief that being "always on" is the price of professionalism. That answering emails at midnight makes you dedicated. That sacrificing weekends for preventable crises shows commitment.
This is bullshit.
I've seen too many brilliant creative professionals—people who could coordinate 180-person productions or manage complex international tours—convince themselves they're "not good at organization" because they can't maintain this unsustainable pace.
The problem isn't you. The problem is a culture that mistakes reactive busyness for productivity.
What Time Well Spent Actually Means
Time Well Spent isn't another productivity system. It's a philosophy of work that honors both your ambition and your humanity.
After managing productions that range from intimate Gabriel Rios concerts to massive opera premieres, I've discovered that sustainable excellence isn't about working more hours—it's about working with intention.
Time Well Spent means:
Strategic focus over reactive busyness
Sustainable systems over heroic firefighting
Quality relationships over transactional networking
Creative fulfillment over productivity optimization
Human rhythms over machine efficiency
The "Less but Better" Philosophy
Less but better isn't about doing less work—it's about doing work that actually matters while maintaining the energy and creativity that makes you excellent at what you do.
This philosophy comes from watching too many talented people burn out not because they weren't capable, but because they were trying to be everything to everyone while working against their natural rhythms.
Here's what I learned: The best productions, the smoothest tours, the most creative collaborations—they all have one thing in common. They're run by people who've learned to say no to the wrong things so they can say yes to the right things.
Why This Matters Now
The entertainment industry is at a crossroads. We can continue normalizing burnout as a badge of honor, or we can start building sustainable careers that honor both our professional ambitions and our humanity.
I chose sustainability. Not because I'm less ambitious, but because I realized that sustainable creativity requires a sustainable creator.
The question isn't whether you can afford to make these changes. It's whether you can afford not to.
Next week, I'll share the three core principles that transformed how I work—principles that have been battle-tested through international tours, opera premieres, and the beautiful chaos of live performance.
What resonates most with you about the "always on" culture in our industry? I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments below.
