In the recording industry, the pressure to be perfect, stay relevant, and produce nonstop can take a serious toll on your emotional and physical health. Whether you're grinding through independent recording sessions or overwhelmed with touring, stress doesn't discriminate.

For one thing, musicians now are in constant demand of content, sucking them into a toxic, unproductive cycle of self-promotion, burnout, then going silent. It’s an unsustainable business model, and to fix it, let’s start by admitting it’s normal to be overwhelmed, uninspired, or anxious right now. 

Stress is inevitably part of the creative process, but it doesn't have to define or ruin it. Here’s some advice on how to get more comfortable dealing with stress as a recording artist.

Normalize the Ups and Downs

Mental Health Ebbs and Flows

The music industry will put your mental health through the wringer. Protecting it is key to a sustainable recording career.

From sleepless studio sessions to the pressure of staying relevant on social media, artists are expected to be endlessly creative and marketable. Without strong boundaries and support, burnout, anxiety, and self-doubt can take over, leaving even the most passionate musicians emotionally drained.

Creative Burnout Happens

Creative burnout can build slowly as long hours in the studio, tight deadlines, social media, and fears of falling behind catch up with you. When music becomes more about output than expression, artists can feel emotionally drained and disconnected from their work. Over time, the passion that once fueled their creativity is replaced by exhaustion, leaving musicians uninspired and frustrated.

Imposter Syndrome Can Be a Bitch

No matter how talented you are, there's probably a voice in your head whispering that you're not good enough, you’re faking it, or you somehow don’t deserve your success. In a world where perfection is expected and comparison is constant, it’s easy to second-guess every lyric, vocal take, or beat you release. 

Even when others praise your work, that internal critic can make you feel like a fraud waiting to be exposed. It kills confidence and stalls creativity. The worst part, though, is it can kick in when things are actually going well. You might be on an upswing in your career, but the voice in your head says otherwise, so you’re in the dark about your success. 

Learn to ignore the grating voice in your head that feeds you lies and holds you back. It wants to make sure you’re never uncomfortable, which keeps you from growing professionally.

Practices to Manage Stress as a Musician

Set Boundaries in the Recording Studio and on Tour

Build in breaks between sessions or tours. Don’t record or schedule tours back-to-back because you “have to work.” Listen to your body. Long tours and recording sessions are hard on you in different ways, so make sure you’re resting in between bookings. Stay hydrated and in good shape to sound your best next time.

Don’t say yes to every project or collaboration. Being a Yes Person will lead to a disorganized schedule, confusing partnerships and stifle your growth as an artist. Be intentional about who you collaborate with and how it may affect the trajectory of your career. This will do you favors with optics and keeping control of your schedule.

During recording sessions, know when to stop tweaking a mix. Chasing perfection can become self-sabotage that adds unnecessary hours of work. Ever make so many “minor fixes” that you finally ruin a song? Then you either go back to an old version, realize you lost the file you had or get frustrated and throw it all away? It’s all maddening. Never chase perfection.

Build a Safe Creative Circle

Surround yourself with people who uplift you. It should feel energizing to collaborate with others. If you’re drained by working with certain people, chances are they’re not doing your career any favors. Keep people around who make you feel good about yourself and the future of your music.

Maybe these friends are the same ones you trust to share your struggles with. If not, find some you can confide in to talk through the struggles you face as an artist. It’s helpful to have people in your corner who understand what you feel and are at least happy to hear you blow off steam. 

Use Grounding Habits

Daily exercise reduces anxiety. Exercise regularly to help manage your body’s equilibrium and reduce stress. Walk, lift weights, run, swim, ride a bike, try crossfit. Do something you enjoy that keeps your body active, and you’ll be in a headspace to make good music later.

Like exercise, healthy sleep and eating patterns keep your brain sharp. So does touching grass. Really, when you need to feel grounded, go barefoot outside and stand in the grass. It’s a meditative thing you can do to quiet your mind on tour or between recording takes.

Avoid relying on substances to "get in the zone" or wind down. It’s popular for producers and other artists to drink or smoke in the studio, but these things can be distracting. It might be fun sometimes, but if you’re serious about a recording career, it can’t happen all the time. Your best work is more likely to come when you’re sober, with total control over your thoughts, feelings, tone and presentation.

There will always be ups and downs in and around you, but you have the power to manage them. Handling stress is necessary to have a sustainable recording career.