Work/Life/Improv Balance

[chitiger]

I've been doing improv now for a year. I have high aspirations to do a lot in the area of comedy and want to hone my skills by getting even more involved in the community. I'm still relatively green, but I like to think I'm pretty motivated to learn, improve and perform.

My problem is I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how to juggle my life. I've got a boyfriend, a social network, a good job as a magazine editor and other interests outside of comedy. But comedy is what gives me quite possibly the most satisfaction. Whether its stand-up, improv or sketch, I love doing it.

How do you balance everything? How do you take multiple classes, audition and perform simultaneously while also managing your personal life and holding down a full-time job that requires a high-degree of responsibility? If it's the job that has to go (to be replaced by temping or a Starbuck's-like career change), how do you know it's the right time to make that move?

I'm not looking to become famous. I don't have Hollywood or SNL aspirations. I do like the idea of self-employment and would say my eventual goal would be to incorporate my comedic skills/education into a business.

Thoughts?

[jillybee72]

This is going to be an incredibly personal answer from everyone. I think everyone's made different sacrifices to make this work. Some people arrange to work less hours at their day jobs. And a lot of improvisors only socialize with other improvisors because it's a built-in social network that's kind've convenient.

A question to ask yourself is -- do you love comedy so much because it's a treat? Some people find that it starts to feel like drudgery when they make it into a main course instead of a delicious side dish.

Personally, I knew when to quit my corporate job because I couldn't stand it anymore. It wasn't hard, it was obvious. I got a lesser-responsibility job that's only 20 hours a week to make ends meet.
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[Chip]

I guess it's a question of how much comedy does it take to make you feel sated?

When I first got to Chicago, I felt like a kid in a candy store. I wanted to be doing something improvy on most days. So I started taking classes at iO and Annoyance, plus an incubator team, and occasionally going to Open Court. It turned out that was too much for me and I finally slowed down.

Now (three years later) I'm doing something probably a couple days a week and that's plenty, and allows me to do non-improv stuff on other nights and work during the day.

Jill's right. It's gonna be a different answer from everyone.

-Chip

[Mr. Keith]

I got a lesser-responsibility job that's only 20 hours a week to make ends meet.

Holy cow! Where do you work? I work 30 hours a week and I can barely get by.

Perhaps I should get rid of my solid-gold Nintendo Wii that's powered by a cheetah.

What I do, when I get too stressed and overwhelmed by balancing everything, is to just tell myself to "do it while I'm young". That may not sound like the best advice on logistics, but it reminds me too fill my time with opportunities because, soon enough, I'm not going to be able to (or be as inclined to) keep at them.

I'll stop telling myself that when I'm 34.

[Tabs]

I've found that I balance things best by sleeping less. That may sound ridiculous, but it's what works for me. I usually sneak a nap in between my day job and improv things, go to bed late, and get through the early part of the day on an energy drink.

As far as relationships go, all my friends are improvisers, as is my boyfriend. That wasn't intentional, but a product of being immersed in the community. Although I will admit that I usually don't get along with muggles. They are easily offended.

[jillybee72]

Holy cow! Where do you work? I work 30 hours a week and I can barely get by.

I don't have a car.
I don't own a home, in fact, I rent the cheapest room I could find.
I don't have much savings.
I don't really have any luxuries, outside of a daily soy latte.
For me, that's worth it. And I'm 35.
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[Rory_Pizzashow]

Check this:
My deal is that I live in Montana. I want to do improv and write so much that I'm gonna sell my car to my cousin so that I can afford a Uhaul; move to Chicago, couch surf for 3-8 months, and hopefully take the right classes, and maybe get into Northwestern.
Job?
Ummm. As far as I can tell no one wants to interview someone who comes from Montana. (I grew up in the suburbs. So I don't get why no one wants to read my resume.)
Ah.
Sorry, I only rant because I stayed home sick from my temp job at the hospital today.
Generally I find that if I'm fulfilled in my creative pursuits enough, I can make ends meet. I didn't have a girlfriend then though. But she's interested in moving too.
Where's my airborne?

[Mr. Keith]

I don't have a car.
I don't own a home, in fact, I rent the cheapest room I could find.
I don't have much savings.
I don't really have any luxuries, outside of a daily soy latte.
For me, that's worth it. And I'm 35.

I probably do have one too many vices I could do without. But, they say the first step to recovery is acknowledging you have a problem.

I'll bet that makes me sound so much worse than I probably am.

That's the thing about being a starving artist, there's no way to really prepare yourself for the starving part (or the sleepless part, quite frankly).

Although, in some ways, I wouldn't have it any other way.

[chitiger]

Thanks for all the responses thus far. It's all very interesting to hear your unique perspectives.

I knew writing that question that I was going to get a variety of answers. Of course it's personal. But it's helpful to hear these personal accounts to know that there isn't a right or a wrong way of accomplishing your goals, whatever those goals may be.

After reflecting on it some more, I think it depends on what you find important to you. Comedy in general (not just improv) is extraordinarily important to me. It is part of who I am and is the foundation for my outlook on life. But it is not the whole of me.

There are those that will sacrifice their comfort to extreme degrees, who will live in shitty apartments and work shitty jobs to devote more time and energy to this one thing they really love. And I respect that whole heartedly. But for me, I think that would cause my art to suffer. I would feel too single dimensional.

The same goes for sacrificing my social life. A lot of my friends are improvisers. But I really value those friends that aren't (including my boyfriend). It allows me to separate myself from the community to some degree in order to get a different perspective.

But it's a competitive world. And Chicago is extra competitive in this area. So maybe it truly does take a tremendous amount of sacrifice to accomplish certain goals here. And maybe I don't have that in me. So maybe I will have to readjust those goals.

In the end I guess it's whatever makes you happy.

[yager]

i've struggled and still am struggling with finding the perfect balance, it's probably impossible. the one thing i've learned is that my life changes week to week. i have a demanding full-time job, so less sleep is not an option most of the time. i bought a book called the age of speed though that's helping me shift things around. it's all about trying to get more done quicker so you have time for you what you want out of life. in the spirit of the starving artist, go to the library and check it out or hunt me down and i'll let you borrow my copy.

mostly i'm learning that as much as you have to manage your time at work, you have to do so outside of work too. that means prioritizing your life and probably cutting out stuff you don't need or that's slowing you down and isn't moving you towards your goal.

bottom line, have goals and make sure that everything you do is in alignment with those goals.

[Shotts]

I say, don't worry about it. A great man once said:

"When you're not concerned with succeeding, you can work with complete freedom."