variety.com: Idris Elba revealed on the “Changes With Annie Macmanus” podcast that he’s been going to therapy for the last year after developing “unhealthy habits” as a professional actor. Mainly, Elba is such “an absolute workaholic” that there are now instances where he feels more relaxed working than he does with his own family.
6 comments:
THIS! This is such an important topic and it needs to be discussed more. If I picked one topic to hold with the most importance it would be this. I love the entertainment industry and I love creating art but there is such a high expectation to work at an insane level. The field we are in has so many demands, physically, and mentally and if we do not give ourselves time to rest and relax things like this happen. I thought the statement about how he felt more comfortable working than spending time with his family was incredibly powerful. I think it is important to look at the steps that were taken to get to that point and how it could have been prevented. I also think this article does a good job highlighting therapy as a helpful tool. I have been in therapy for most of my life and as I move my way through theater it has helped me stay in balance. Having someone sit in front of you and say “you are doing too much, it is time to say no to something” can make a huge difference.
This is such an important topic that I rarely hear anyone discuss, so it is comforting to hear a famous actor talk about his personal experiences with the issue. I think it is a good thing whenever famous people are transparent about their lives because so many people look up to and even idolize them, and may recognize issues with themselves after hearing someone else talk about them. I have worried about myself that I may be too comfortable doing work, just like Idris Elba. While I am not to the same degree, it is still a worry of mine. I agree fully that the entertainment industry rewards this massively, which is dangerous. Any extra hours put in just make you seem better at your craft, which pushes you toward prioritizing work over everything else. I think it is extremely important to be able to have a balance between different areas of life, and the economy makes this hard.
Idris Elba's candid revelation about his struggles with workaholism and the therapeutic benefits of slowing down resonates deeply. The societal conditioning to find relaxation in constant productivity is an unspoken norm. Elba's honesty about needing therapy to confront his work-related stress is refreshing and relatable. The concept of finding solace in accomplishing tasks is ingrained in our daily lives, often overshadowing the importance of personal well-being. This sentiment aligns with the discussions in the Stage Management Seminar, where we delve into "Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals." The book emphasizes the necessity of carving out time for oneself amid the relentless pace of life. Elba's admission serves as a poignant reminder to reassess our relationship with work and productivity. Amid the demands of our roles and responsibilities, there's an imperative to prioritize self-care. Taking a break from the incessant demands of daily life is not a sign of weakness but a crucial step toward maintaining mental and emotional well-being. This revelation prompts introspection, urging a conscious effort to detach from the perpetual cycle of tasks. It's a call to action for individuals to recognize the value in stepping back, breathing, and reclaiming a sense of balance. Elba's story serves as a beacon, highlighting the importance of acknowledging our limits and embracing the restorative power of intentional breaks.
I am very happy to see this article because that means people are starting to talk about this issue in the industry. I get nervous going into an industry where the work is so much and often underpaid, particularly in stipend salary’s. This tendency to overwork ones self and then get validated for it is not just prevalent in the professional world but extremely prevalent in education as well. CMU particularly has quite the problem with this. In my interview for this school I was told that they give you more work than you can do, so that you learn to prioritize. While I agree that prioritization is important I think there are far healthier ways to teach new-adults about it. Even throughout “CMU DP culture” it is popular to stay up all night in 33 for a susan project or complain loudly about the amount of crew calls. It is expected that one should always feel overwhelmed, and I dont think that is healthy.
I completely agree with this article and how prevalent “workaholics” are in the entertainment industry. Individuals are constantly praised for having little balance and putting everything they can into a production, even if it comes at their own detriment. While having a strong work ethic is needed for our competitive and often under-funded industry, one also must have long term sustainability. We need to preserve and take care of ourselves enough to have the energy to do our jobs well. Additionally, as artists, exploring things outside of art only makes us better artists. Some of my best work as a designer has come from my knowledge of travel, culture, and society. The only ways to truly explore these things is to explore things outside of the theater. I would be lying if I said finding balance is not something I struggle with. The drive to become the best artist that I can be while still managing classwork often leads me to deprioritize working out, reading, and self care. I’m really working to change this habit as I enter college. Finding a sustainable balance is the right way to begin my career and I hope to take after Elba’s change of heart.
It’s really nice to read about a famous and well-established figure in the entertainment industry opening up about the effects that the entertainment industry has had. It’s pretty well known that there’s a well-established and pretty unhealthy workaholic style culture, and the quote about being rewarded for unhealthy habits really jumped out at me. It’s true that basically all of the “ways to succeed” are reliant on essentially sacrificing one's personal life and free time. I think that at every level and type of theatre I’ve participated in (high school, community, now college) none of those places have ever been exempt from that general concept. It’s very difficult to find the line between just being busy, which is natural and happens, and sometimes life is just busy, and being in a rather unfortunate state of overworked workaholism. I think that having people like Idris Elba acknowledge the negative effects of workaholic culture can really help to encourage others to essentially take steps to prevent falling victim to it.
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