It’s getting to that time of year when I see cosplayers make announcements on social media that they need to stop cosplaying for a while or that they are taking a break from cosplaying. Cosplay burnout is a very real thing and all cosplayers, from the newbie to the most cos-famous, suffer from it. But you know what? It’s ok to take a break.
The tone of a lot of messages are very apologetic like the cosplayers feel bad and guilty that they have to stop but it’s ok. Don’t feel bad about it. If you need a break then you need a break. If you need to tell your group that you need to skip the con because you need to just let your body sleep, or if you need to just put everything down because you have bills to pay or your dog is sick that’s also fine.
Sometimes life gets ahead of us and I’m here to tell you that it’s cool. I’ve recently moved back from Canada to the UK and I just can’t handle doing any cosplay or photography right now and fortunately my friends are super accommodating towards it. If your friends don’t understand that life comes first then are they really your friends?
Anyway, I don’t really have major purpose to this post but here are some ways you can try to avoid cosplay/photography burnout:
Take breaks
This seems pretty obvious but I’m not talking about 10-20 minute breaks while crafting. I mean the type of break where you schedule a day away from your workshop/sewing space. Go out for a hike, go for a run or bike ride, or just spend all day playing the new spiderman game and ignore all your duties (looking at you Titans of Cosplay)
Don’t push yourself
If you’ve had a stressful day at work or if something just isn’t going your way then it’s ok to step back and put everything down. For some people cosplay is a form of de-stressing but sometimes after a tough day at work or school you need to let your brain wind down
Life expenses must come first
This can be a tough pill to swallow for some people, especially when you go from living with your parents to having to deal with your own finances. It’s ok if you don’t cosplay because you need to pay rent or buy food. Honestly those people who choose cosplay over food usually come across as stupid to most people with half a brain. Why are you sacrificing your financial security for this hobby? If you need to pick up an extra shift instead of patterning that pauldron tonight then do it. If you don’t have money then you can’t cosplay….or eat…or have somewhere to stay…or pay your bills…You get the idea.
Please don’t sacrifice your health for cosplay
Get out and go for a walk, make sure you use respirators and safety goggles. All these things when you cosplay. If your contact lenses are irritating you then take them out, if your wings are causing your back to hurt or your wig is pulling at your hairline. Take breaks when you need and change out of cosplay if it’s becoming uncomfortable. I have seen someone having to bow out of cosplay for six months because of some wings and there are plenty of stories of cosplayers almost going blind or losing their vision because of contact lenses.
Listen to your body.
That is your Food and Cosplay PSA for today
To follow Anna’s photography and cosplay work, click on these links, Instagram Photography, Instagram Cosplay, Twitter
