It’s often discussed how important mental health balance is when you’re a Twitch streamer. Being constantly in the spotlight is challenging and can have adverse effects on your mind and heart.
Fortunately, there are ways you can preserve and guard your mental health as a content creator.
Stream for the right reasons
It’s a well-known fact at this point that a lot of young people dream of becoming content creators. Whether it’s for popularity or money, being a popular face on platforms like Twitch is a glorified prospect. However, it’s a lot of work being a public entertainer and not quite the cushy “not a job” people think it is.
So, if you’re going to stream on Twitch, do it for the right reasons. If you have something to share with the world that’s useful and productive, then go for it. There are tons of streamers who kickstarted their channels dreaming they’ll make money. A lot of these people end up either burning out or resorting to poorly considered shenanigans to keep themselves in the spotlight.
Your stream needs to be treated as a business and as long as you’re delivering something worthwhile, then you’ll feel your hard work is paying off regardless of fame or fortune.
Take breaks
It’s scary to think about telling your viewers that they’ll have to spend Christmas or an extended period without you. You feel like some other streamer is going to swipe them away the moment you turn your back. Even though that very well could happen, you still need to give yourself some time off from going live.
As a human, you need to rest and unwind without worrying about your job, which is being a streamer. It allows your mind to refresh and re-energize. It’s what will also allow you to come up with new ideas for your broadcast and, overall, ensure you’re happy.
Even if a few viewers move on to someone else, your mind and body need time to decompress so don’t deprive them of that.
Open up to people
We all worry and stress about things in life. No matter what’s on your mind as a streamer, there’s no substitute for talking it out with others. Whether it’s your family, friends, spouse, partner, or even a mental health professional, opening up about your feelings, fears, and anxieties will go a long way toward keeping you balanced.
The worst thing you can do to yourself is bottle up your thoughts and emotions deep inside. They’ll eat you up. The people you open up to need to be free of judgment and allow you to express yourself. This is why sometimes professional therapists are the best option.
Unplug yourself often
Streamers, big or small, are always in the public eye. This will lead you to the temptation of keeping your phone and social media within reach at all times. But, don’t do this. People will say mean things or make meaningless memes about you no matter what you say. Giving them the pleasure of your undivided attention is the worst thing you can do to them and yourself.
Just as you schedule your stream, so you should plan out when you’ll completely unplug from the rest of the world. Make sure you’re making time for undivided attention toward your family and friends. Remember that these are the people that should matter the most after yourself.
Keep your skills sharp
If you’re a full-time streamer, chances are you’ve thought about scenarios where you’re forced out of the content creation game one way or another. It’s a very logical thing to think about because your job depends on elements beyond your control. It’s scary to think about what you can do outside of the context of Twitch.
Fortunately, content creation allows you to develop hard skills that are useful in a multitude of industries and environments. So, keep those skills sharp. Challenge yourself often and make sure you’re learning new things. Well-rounded video editors, sound engineers, practiced voice actors, and savvy social media managers are highly desirable in the job market.
On the hunt for what you’ll be streaming this weekend? Subscribe now.