Tackling crunch and burnout

Working as a professional artist can involve tough deadlines, and if not properly managed this lifestyle can cause stress and even burnout. Unfortunately, many large projects involve a period at the end of the timeline known as ‘crunch’, in which staff are expected to work extremely long hours, usually without extra pay, in order to hit the final deadline.

In some industries, crunch can extend so far back into the project timeline that some staff can be said to be working in crunch conditions on a regular basis. For freelancers, these stresses can be compounded by the lack of job security.

“Knowing that work still might ‘run out’ in a few months can create anxiety and eventually lead to burnout”

is a freelance digital artist based in Georgia who creates promotional artwork for films and games. He