beachdeath:

Mitski on balancing health and productivity: 

I haven’t found a real balance yet. I’ve just figured out how to keep my body and mind from fully breaking down, and the creative productivity can come or not come—but I don’t have the capacity to worry about that.

I don’t think real balance is possible as long as you’re in a fundamentally unbalanced place, like the music industry. A lot of trying to stay healthy is learning to say no. I schedule regular short breaks between tours or between shows so I can go to the doctor, pick up my prescriptions, or just eat a real meal and get a full night’s sleep. I keep these short maintenance breaks no matter what, and I turn down a lot of gigs for them. I don’t drink alcohol on tour, and I go straight to sleep as soon as I can after shows. I also have a workout regimen that can be done without equipment in a small space in about 20-30 minutes, so I can work out in a corner of the venue after soundcheck, where I won’t bother anyone. I used to get very ill or just collapse on tour, and realized I wouldn’t be able to keep doing this if I wasn’t physically strong. I’m only able to do this type of work because I’m able-bodied—I can’t imagine how prohibitive being on tour would be if I was disabled in any way.

When I’m on tour, I keep a water bottle, a thermos, and lot of pre-packaged non-expiring food with me because I don’t know when or what I’ll be able to eat next. I only do press or promo when I have something to promote, otherwise I say no. As an artist, you’re given the impression that every opportunity is the last and only and best opportunity you’ll ever get, and there’s a lot of pressure to say yes to whatever opportunities or working conditions are thrust upon you. You have to keep reminding yourself that there will be other opportunities, and that no matter how shiny or fleeting the chance in front of you looks, if you’re sick or burned out then you won’t be able to follow through on new opportunities anyway.

And lastly, something I’ve been working on is staying in close touch with my support system. I don’t think I would have survived this long if I hadn’t been able to text or call my musician friends on a regular basis.